Nice Girls Finish Last
by Reven Firebane
Summary: The girls' final year has started. Little do they know that the thought of separation will bring them only that much closer together... MioxRitsu, YuixAzusa, and MugixMystery! Please read and review! Thank you in advance! Rated T for safety. Shōjo-ai.
1. Chapter 1

Ignore the title for the time being please. It has its weight, but I only have like 3500 words on paper! Titles take a while to make sense, but they will! I promise!

Of course, I don't own any of these characters, nor the series itself, so stop mocking me.

Sarcasm aside, this is my first real attempt at a K-ON! fic and I've enjoyed writing it thus far. As promised, there will be three pairings here. MioxRitsu, YuixAzusa, and Mugix(?) Yes, there will be a surprise pairing. I dare you to guess.

The time span is their third year, Azusa's second, and over laps most of it. Please forgive any OOC writing through the thing... I'm basically trying to make Mio, Ritsu, and Azusa lesbian, when the series hasn't really said they were yet. Or given any overt hints to it. Azusa will be easy, Ritsu a little more difficult... and Mio will be hard. Mio is through and through the straightest character in the series. Mugi will be easier, since she's already been shown to be gay. (?) will be easy too.

? will be an original pairing, but not an OC. I'll just be giving love to a lesser known and celebrated character.

I'm covering a pretty wide time span here, and if you notice any missed events that were important, please let me know. Also, if you notice anything blaringly OOC, aside from lesbianism, please inform me so I can change that!

Thank you readers, and please leave a review to let me know what you liked about it! And what you disliked! And whatever else you wanna share with me. Thanks!

* * *

"There are two truths in life..." The thick, droning voice of Sakuragaoka secondary school's philosophy teacher explained, "These two truths hold true no matter where you are, where you have been, who you are now, or who you will become..."

One student, a back of the classroom slacker, couldn't help but think. 'Ya and what if I kill myself before the end of your lecture? Then will I save myself from these two truths?'

"These two truths aren't a secret, they simply require a little bit of thought..."

'Then why are you telling us this? If it isn't a secret, why should I give a...'

"These two truths are what allow us to determine what drives us. Every human, every action, is determined by these two things!..."

'Really? Do you think they might help me go to sleep so I don't have to listen to you?...'

"Now, without further ado..."

'The tension is killing me...'

"The two truths are as follows. Firstly, every human on this earth has desires. Secondly, every human on this Earth has secrets."

Ritsu Tainaka was about to respond to this in her thoughts... but instead, ended up slamming her head into the desk. It seemed appropriate, but naturally, the teacher was too obsessed to notice the girl's self mutilating practice. Ritsu however, felt better and better each time her head hit the desk, it seemed like it was getting the damned memory out. A sharp whisper broke her habit.

"Ritsu, pay attention!" The voice whisper yelled to her. It seemed almost corporeal at first... but Ritsu knew that only one other student would actually tell her to stop. She looked up to see the stern, unyielding eyes of her best friend, a girl who actually tried in her classes. Mio Akiyama. Ritsu had no trouble matching the girl's grey eyed stare, and before long, philosophy class had turned into a one sided staring contest.

Mio looked into Ritsu's brilliant brown eyes, but it wasn't very long before something felt off to her. Perhaps it was the fact that she had been looking at Ritsu for a while, and her disciplinary stare had turned into more of an innocent, confused glance. Mio realized she wasn't in charge of the situation any more... Ritsu's Cheshire grin told her that much. She quickly turned her head around, looking towards the front of the class.

Their teacher, Mr. Kariah, continued the lecture. Mio took note, he was the kind of guy that... really didn't care if anyone was listening to him. He just liked to talk. It was during his class that Mio always felt grateful that she actually liked the subject... unlike most of her class which slept, read, or did whatever the hell Ritsu was doing today.

The worst part of it was that despite the subject being interesting, Mr. Kariah liked to teach with all the lights off and the blinds pulled shut. The result? A thin, light blue aura peeking through the windows into the stuffy, warm classroom. Combined with his thick, two tone voice, even good students had trouble staying awake in that. Mio began to dose off... until something hit her in the back of the head.

She snapped to attention, a small something hitting the back of her head interrupting her light sleep. Another... and another! Mio turned, and saw Ritsu contentedly flicking tiny ball of paper after tiny ball of paper into the back of her hair. "Baka!" She whispered sharply.

Ritsu looked equally surprised at Mio, her head shaking and shooting up. Once again, she was met by stern, grey eyes looking straight into her soul. "Ohh you woke up..." Ritsu said quietly, looking right at Mio. "Too bad! I got like 20 pieces of paper stuck in your hair while you were napping." She whispered, loudly, with an almost triumphant tone... a tone that Mio hated with everything that she was.

Now, blushing is a powerful and overt way to convey emotions. It can show apprehension, sorrow, surprise, stimulation... but in Mio's case... it was embarrassment with but a hint of anger. She looked at Ritsu, as if she wanted to say something... but Ritsu looked like she wanted her to say something. "Make a move" her eyes said to Mio... and that was a trap Mio would not play into.

Instead, the raven haired girl turned back towards the front of the classroom, and began to groom her hair. She did have to give credit... Ritsu had gotten quite a bit of paper in there. Apparently, having no feeling in your hair isn't always a good thing... if you sit in front of Ritsu naturally. Mio ran her fingers through her hair, and was thankfully for once in her life that she had long fingers. Small pieces of paper fell to the floor like rain, only causing Mio to blush further as a few eyes turned to her.

Ritsu would pay for that later...

* * *

As the day continued forth, Mio couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions towards Ritsu and their philosophy class experience. Sure... flicking pieces of paper into her hair was something she would expect... but she had never felt so intimidated by Ritsu's eyes before. That grin on the girl's face... there was almost a fire to them, a fire that Mio didn't like. The situation bothered her... and that was only their first hour! Sure, Mio did get a few hours without Ritsu or Yui or even Mugi in her class... but they still had after school.

She did her best to pay attention in her trigonometry class, bless her heart, but the subject material was nearly basic. It was only the start of their second semester after all! Any time the teacher got up to demonstrate an elementary problem... Mio's mind drifted slightly. Any other day it might have gone to music, air fretting her bass parts, or even something she had watched on TV with her parents last night... but every time she drifted away, Ritsu's goddamned grin and fire filled eyes would enter her head.

'What the heck even happened?' Mio thought to herself, looking out the window. "When I shut her up... she gave that innocent look that a child gives when caught red handed... but it turned around! When did Baka Ritsu learn to turn it around on me!' Her inner thoughts ran from there. She hung her head, putting her palms against her face. She just couldn't stop. 'How did she even do it? When did she switch it around on me? The second time she was flicking paper, she stopped... but the first time she actually took control of me!'

Her second and third periods went exactly like this. She ran the same situation through her head... She told Ritsu to pay attention... Ritsu pulled the innocent thing... A second later, she couldn't break free of Ritsu's gaze. That's when Ritsu started to grin... like she'd caught a shark. Mio was that shark... and Mio was in her net. Though that entire situation lasted maybe 4 seconds... it felt like an eternity. Mio managed to get free of that net and swim back into the waters of philosophy class... but not without a mark on her conscience.

Lunch came... but Mio wasn't comfortable going to the music room or anything. Today, she would be eating lunch with a friend from last year, hopefully to distract herself from her some how more cleaver best friend. Nodoka had no trouble accepting Mio's offer to eat with her. Due to not knowing anyone last year besides her, the two had gotten surprisingly close to each other. Even as the student body president, Nodoka made time for Mio. The others understood, and went to eat elsewhere.

However, instead of a casual lunch, Mio knew exactly what she wanted to talk about.

"I just don't understand Nodoka..." She said as she munched on a cheaply made and packaged rice ball, "Do you know what I mean? Have you ever had that happen?"

Even though Mio explained the entire story to her... Nodoka didn't really get it. Mio was thorough in the re-cap of it and everything... but she couldn't think of anything that could cause that. You know... except one thing. "Well... like 2 years ago I was caught staring at my crush in class..."

"That's not it!" Mio yelped as quickly as she could, almost splattering the other girl with cheap rice. "I do NOT have a crush on Ritsu. Heck, I was just trying to get her to listen in class! I wasn't ch... checking her out..." Naturally, her demeanor shifted in the middle of her small rant. She went from a mixture of enraged and embarrassed... to all embarrassed and almost ashamed.

"Sorry! I just don't know what could cause that." Nodoka said, sheepishly. Mio could have sworn that a small drop of sweat dripped down Nodoka's temple... was this a manga or something!

'I'm losing my mind...' Mio thought to herself, shaking her head. "Well, it was probably nothing like you said when we started lunch. Ritsu isn't that cunning... and I'm not attracted to her." She insisted on that part, there was no way she was attracted to Ritsu. Right?

* * *

Ritsu however, she was nervous in different kinds of way. Her philosophy class encounter was being viewed different by her. Her second hour was also different from Yui and Mio... but thankfully, she had Mugi with her. College prep algebra, basically a review of algebra 2, perfect for Ritsu. Mugi was... just not a math or science girl. No shame in that... and it was perfect for Ritsu.

She and Mugi had been communicating. Ever since that day that they had together, the short, simple get together in the summer, they had been talking more and more. Ritsu considered Mugi like the friend that no one knew she had, a friend that she could talk with about as much as she wanted to. She would probably never be as deep with Mugi as she was with Mio, because she had known Mio for ages longer than Mugi... but she could talk with Mugi about other things.

Today, she wrote up a note. Mugi sat next to her, but the school had a lead lined roof so texts couldn't go through. Back to the 90's she assumed, as she scribbled down a hasty, short hand note. She folded it and passed it over as the Algebra teacher scribbled notes on the board.

She waited a few minutes, before Tsumugi returned the note, looking a bit confused. Ritsu opened it. It had an arrow pointed up to her message, and a message from Mugi that said "_What does this say?_" Ritsu hung her head, and took a few deep breaths. She looked at her message... it was the worst her hand writing had been since early primary school.

A few deep breaths later, and she was under control enough to scribble down another note. She wasn't extremely nervous... more like extremely excited. She handed the note to Mugi.

The blonde girl unfolded it, and scanned the paper with her bright blue eyes. "_I think I did it right._" Was all the note said. Mugi nodded, and intently wrote down her message before passing it back.

"_What happened?_" Ritsu wrote down the events. The head banging, the stare, Mio's embarrassed look, even her paper flicking... the note was returned.

Ritsu waited a few minutes, watching Mugi intently study the note nodding her head occasionally, subconsciously nibbling the end of her pencil. Ritsu loved the amazed, focused look on Mugi's face. The blonde haired girl quickly scribbled down another note, and passed it back to Ritsu.

Ritsu opened it, feeling a bit... nervous. It wasn't something she felt often... and she didn't like it. But she pushed through the feeling and opened the note up, only to see four words written on the small slip. "_Good. Now you wait._"

* * *

Ritsu didn't want to wait, but even though she had tried to keep the archaic note passing conversation going with Mugi, once the note was in Mugi's hand, it wasn't passed back. Note after note she sacrificed trying to spark Mugi into conversation... but all of second hour and 44 pieces of scratch paper later, Mugi had not only half of her notebook, but had effectively destroyed conversation.

Ritsu's third hour was away from everyone, except Azusa. But Azusa sat clear across the room, thanks to the teacher's experience in planning out a seating chart that would literally kill talking. This teacher, Mrs. Rekako, was one of the most experienced and the most renowned across most of Northern Japan. This teacher hadn't failed a student in 10 years, and had been teaching twice as long as Ritsu had been alive.

Azusa, a good student, was by the window along with all the other good students, while Ritsu was against the wall along with other bad and medium bad kids. After a few weeks of seeing who was who, Mrs. Rekako could plan a seating chart perfectly so no talking would happen. This plan worked, as Ritsu had no trouble keeping a B in this advanced composition class, and most of the time, she didn't have any time or desire to day dream.

Today was the exception.

Many might think that today she would be thinking about the same Mio was thinking about ever since their first period, or about how hungry she was, or about new drum sets... the usual. But no, she had the note from Mugi saying she had done alright... no point in thinking about it further. No no, today, now that things were in motion, she had to think about what had lead her here.

* * *

It wasn't that far past the "freshmen" orientation of this very year, not but a few months ago. Ritsu had thought it as nothing more than an activity... but some one, a particular feline-esque second year, reminded her of something. This was their last year together... not only the Keion club, but also the dynamic duo, Mio and Ritsu.

At first, when Mio told Ritsu at the end of last year that a university had recommended her, Ritsu was ecstatic about it. Her best friend, smart enough to have a university accept her without even having to apply, she couldn't have been happier! But after Azusa so carefully reminded her that Ritsu didn't have the GPA to get into that university, and that being the last year of school, Ritsu and Mio wouldn't be able to see each other every day. At first, Ritsu was stoic about this, as she knew that Mio and she would be able to keep in touch with one another.

But... the days began to corrode, and Ritsu felt her and Mio getting further and further apart. It wasn't REALLY happening mind you, but Ritsu's imagination had a way of running. Especially in Algebra class... or in composition... but that's beside the point. Her energy devoted itself to making her think that at the end of this year, she and Mio would never see each other again.

Ritsu, if given enough time to think, could explain that desperation... but what she couldn't explain was two very strange dreams.

She and Mio were on a boat. All good and memorable dreams usually have a boat in them anyways, so it seemed fitting. Mio was leaning on the edge of a boat, suffering from a beautiful sunset and a small degree of sea sickness. Ritsu was beside her, and the two were talking.

Ritsu felt herself talking, but she couldn't understand a single thing either of them said. Though... all of her other senses picked up the boat, just not her hearing. She could feel the cool evening breeze on her face, feel the hard boards under her naked feet, taste the salty breeze, smell the ocean, and of course, she would see everything in vivid detail.

Suddenly, the boat shifted. Predictably, and much to Ritsu's dismay, Mio had fallen over the edge of the giant cruise ship, and was plummeting to her inevitable death. But before Ritsu could even react, she felt Mio's hand holding on to her hand. Ritsu looked down at the girl alarmingly, seeing Mio's tear filled grey eyes staring back at her. Her ears rang, for a second, and then sound came to her. She could only hear one thing, "Don't lose me."

From there on out... her feelings from Mio shifted drastically from day to day, even hour to hour during certain times of the month, and the changes were sporadic. One was unrealistic, her considering Mio like the "sister she never had", but that was darn close to the "best friend anyone could ever ask for". However... Ritsu's determination didn't stop there. Her obsession about losing her best friend changed harshly after another strange dream.

It mimicked the first, all the way up to the boat tipping and Mio holding Ritsu's hand. Ritsu heard the words again "Don't lose me." and nodded, pulling hard on the crying girl. With some work, both girls made the effort to get back on board. Thankfully, the rock in the boat hadn't knocked Mio both overboard, or even thrown the ship ajar. Ritsu pulled Mio up, and the two girls fell to the deck, panting and crying. Dream Ritsu took over at this point, and Ritsu was once again just a spectator inside of her own body.

Dream Ritsu, unpredictably to say the least, leaned over to Mio, who was crying her eyes out and hugging her knees. Dream Ritsu however pulled Mio's arms away from her eyes, and leaned over. Before Ritsu knew it, she could feel Dream Ritsu kissing Mio's closed eyes, kissing the tears away. Dream Ritsu pulled away, and looked at Mio, who was now smiling and blushing at her. For the first time Ritsu's life, and probably only time ever, she woke up blushing.

Though there were no more dreams after that... Ritsu couldn't help but think on it. At first, she was angry with herself about it. That slowly gave way to guilt and confusion. She was good at not wearing her emotions on her sleeves, but deep inside, every time she looked at Mio for a good while it was hard to keep a placid, uncaring face, or her normal tom boy attitude. Had the dream not felt so right... it would have been different. She would have called Mio and told her, "I had the weirdest dream about you!" But that was not the case. It wasn't weird... it was perfect.

Despite it all, she kept her normal, goofy attitude up the entire time. It was only weird for about 2 weeks following the dream, and although Ritsu began to think she might have been like "that", she and Mio still hung out, remained close, and talked frequently. She began to count her blessings that they had an entire year together still. So things went back to normal after a brief period of time, even though the others would assume that nothing had changed at all.

Aside from one grope in a hotel room, which was done out of good fun, Ritsu kept her feelings repressed, and her hands to herself. Things were only weird to her for a total of about 3 weeks, but what a strange three weeks that was.

It wasn't until a couple months later, months after she had successfully crammed the dream so far into the deepest depths of her head, that she had thought of asking Mio to go with her out for a day, things were back to normal it seemed. Mio however, couldn't go. But, Ritsu brushed it off, as she trusted Mio and there was no way she was gonna get all clingy. That was not her style, nor her choice.

However, not seeing Mio that day was a good thing for Ritsu, as it provided a catalyst for something else. Mugi-Chan had been free that day... and even though they spent the entire day hanging out, not talking about anything in particular, it opened the door for Ritsu's newest friendship... and her guide through the proceeding weeks. They got closer... and because Mugi was like "that", Ritsu could share her dreams. And feelings. Even if she simply hinted to it, Mugi always understood.

Eventually, Ritsu asked Mugi what to do, and Mugi told her. When Ritsu asked how, Mugi already had a plan for it. That plan was now in motion.

* * *

Surprisingly, Ritsu decided not to mention anything to Mugi at lunch, as she could see that Mugi wouldn't give her anything else. Like she had said in her seemingly infinite Mugi wisdom, "Now you wait." And wait she would. Ritsu wasn't surprised when Mio decided to have lunch with Nodoka that day, just as Mugi had said might happen. So, Ritsu ate lunch with the remaining light music club.

Nothing happened, aside from Yui getting a fry stuck in her nose, Azusa fearlessly removing it and throwing it away, and Azusa slapping Yui as the older girl approached for one of her so far failed "Friendship Kisses". Ritsu laughed, Mugi got that hopefully look on her face, Yui was unphased afterwards, and Azusa became a recluse for the remaining part of lunch.

Yui and Mugi both thought that was adorable. Ritsu couldn't help but giggled, but Azusa stayed quiet, seemingly out of it. That was how lunch went for those four girls.


	2. Chapter 2

Even though all senior members of the Keion club shared fourth hour Biology, none of them seemed to take notice of any other acting any differently. Probably because none of them were acting differently. Mio had gotten her stresses out at lunch, and even though she had piled on more, she was doing alright by her 4th hour. Apparently, the –possibly- ludicrous yet unintentional suggestion that she might like Ritsu was enough to draw her mind away from things.

Ritsu had gotten her reminiscing over with in her third hour, and was back to her old, rambunctious self. Nothing was amiss, even though both girls knew that something was up with the other. They were best friends, and whether the situation was good or bad, they emotionally joined at the hip. Thankfully, both of them dismissed it as nothing more than being "in their head".

Though... there was one thing different. Many wouldn't see it, but Mio was afraid to touch Ritsu.

Tsumugi of course, she saw it. Though nothing serious was happening today, no labs or anything of the sort, the lab tables were small. Put two almost fully grown girls in a small desk and watch them try to function without brushing up against each other.

Tsumugi found her normal intent expression during the lesson replaced by the two best friends in the desk in front of her constantly withdrawing from each other. Now, Ritsu was far less squeamish than Mio was, that was just a rule of nature, and it made the end result of watching the two just that much more fun.

Ritsu wasn't really afraid to touch Mio, though she could tell that Mio didn't want to be touched. However, with Ritsu being Ritsu, there was no way that contact was going to be avoided between the two of them! Especially not in Biology class, where the teacher Mr. Raika would let the students decide their grades. This basically meant that he wouldn't wake a student up, because that was there choice. Ritsu would exploit that restful sleeping almost every day.

Today, Ritsu napping would make for one of Mio's worst days in Biology ever. It started simply; the teacher telling the class that today's class would be a lecture. Then, Ritsu fell asleep. That is where Mio's troubles really started to kick off. A 1 hour fifteen minute period, 15 minutes already gone... but a whole hour left.

Mio was diligent, and started this class like any other. She took out her notebook and a pencil and carefully marked the date, August 4th, on the top of the page. The school festival was coming up... and the school play which this year she had the displeasure of performing in. All of the third years did. She wrote down on the title of the page "Geneology" and began to copy down what the teacher had written down so far.

She didn't see that Ritsu was already asleep, but usually Ritsu was a quiet sleeper. A restless sleeper, but a quiet one. Mio had no idea that today, the minor angst that Ritsu was feeling would make for one hell of an uncomfortable day for her. She was fine when Ritsu was talking, or was close or whatever... but when she was touching her, Mio's insides squirmed.

It wasn't until about 55 minutes of class were left that Ritsu's left hand slipped out from under her head. She was still asleep, except now her left elbow was touching Mio's... and that was not ok. She blushed, her note taking interrupted by the sudden contact, and her spine straightened. It was as if she had seen a ghost, except when you see a ghost, you don't blush. Mugi noticed this... and decided to shift her attention from the lecture to the scene in front of her.

Mio pulled her elbow away and looked at Ritsu, seeing if the girl needed something. She saw only the back of the brunette's hair, and the dreaded elbow. She shied away from it, pulling her notebook slightly over and turning back to the board with nothing but the discreet remainder of a blush left on her cheeks.

The next thing that disturbed Mio's note taking came a good fifteen minutes later. She had been cramped up as far as she could into the left half of the desk, avoiding the dreaded elbow to the best of her ability, but she needed to relax something. She looked at Ritsu, who was sprawled out over the entire right half of the desk and about a third of the left side. Mio did see however that Ritsu's elbow, and the arm attached to it, hadn't moved since it invaded her space.

She carefully let her hand fall to a resting position setting it carefully down next to Ritsu's. If Ritsu stayed put, it would be fine there, and she could relax a bit. She didn't need to open her legs, she was wearing a skirt after all and despite having a fan club, she wouldn't be giving any peep shows. She was used to that. But her entire body being cramped up? She was willing to take the risk.

However, only moments after she rested her hand did Ritsu's unconscious body seemingly leap into action. Not really leap mind you, but three of Ritsu's fingers did practically jump over and hook around Mio's palm. Mio stiffened up as before, but the blush was far worse. She didn't really need to look... she could feel exactly what was happening. The worst part was, it didn't feel bad. Nodoka's voice ran through her head. '_Well like two years ago... I was caught staring at my crush in class..._'

She could tell what was happening... Mio could feel Ritsu's three fingers in the palm of her hand, and the other two on the outside. In her mind, this was one of the strangest ways to hold hands ever... but it was true. They were holding hands. Her heart began to race, there was no way this could be happening! Her hand tensed up, her face flushed, and her gaze drifted to Ritsu. She saw the back of her head, but... those fire filled eyes came to her mind, and once again, she couldn't look away from the girl.

What Mugi saw? Ritsu unintentionally sleep grabbed Mio's hand, Mio tensed up, blushed, and was now looking at Ritsu with a scared, unprotected, and innocent gaze. Mugi saw the hand holding and her mind went to other places. This was the best Biology class ever.

Mio couldn't break it, she didn't know if she wanted to. Would she wake Ritsu? Would Ritsu accuse her of holding hands with her? Or even more likely, would she end up forfeiting the other half of her side of the lab table? She was having a hard enough time staying in 2/3 the space she had to start with. She couldn't deal with ½; she wasn't a primary schooler any more!

But something had to be done. If a single person saw this, word would get around that Mio swung like that. Even if she did, she wouldn't want it getting around! But she didn't! No way! She looked at the hand. In the past, Ritsu would have gotten hit for that, but though Mio wanted to, she couldn't bring herself to do it. That would require touching the other girl!

Thought it took a good 5 minutes to break free, Mio finally managed to slip her hand out from out of Ritsu's grasp. Ritsu stirred slightly, but Mio had finally had enough. She sharply whispered to the girl, "Wake up!"

No response.

Mio got in closer, "Wake up!" She whispered again.

Still no response.

Mio dared to go where she couldn't have not 4 minutes ago, but she got in about an inch from Ritsu's skull, cupped her hands, and quietly said, "Hey idiot."

This got a response. Ritsu shifted, and got to a sitting position. Mio pulled away right after "idiot" and looked at her. Ritsu calmly stretched and looked at Mio, "You needed something?" She asked casually, apparently not having remembered anything from... well... being asleep.

"No, you were just taking up most of the desk." Mio whispered to her, "Ohh, and you were drooling." She joked, pointing to the left side of Ritsu's mouth. Ritsu simply chuckled and wiped it away.

"I was having a good dream too..." Ritsu said in a mockingly disappointed tone. She wiped the spit away from her mouth and looked at Mio. 'You were in it...' She wanted to say it so bad...

"Do you remember holding my hand?" Mio whispered back, blushing slightly.

'Yes' "Pssh! No!" Ritsu lied defensively. "What kind of dreams are you having?"

"You grabbed my hand!" Mio whispered back almost instantly at the accusation. "I woke you up because you were grabbing me!"

Ritsu rolled her eyes and looked at the clock. At this point, there was around 25 minutes left of their class period. She really wished that Mio hadn't ended her dream... It wasn't sexual in any way, nor was there even romance involved, but it was pertinent. They had finally made it to Badokan.

The only reason she was holding Mio's hand was because they had one the "greatest band in history" award and were all taking a bow. Though one thing struck her in this dream. Though she was holding both Mugi and Mio's hand while taking a bow... she could only feel Mio's hand in her.

'Well I guess that's why...' She thought to herself as she set her head on the desk. Though to her, as had the dream before... it was perfect. Mio's hand was soft, warm, and although her grip was flaccid, Ritsu relished it in everyway. Badokan meant nothing...

Before long, the bell woke her up from a restful slumber, and all girls were moving towards their last period of the day. This was the period that none of them shared, and all girls were by themselves. This gave time for Mio to think.

* * *

Her fifth hour was a graduation requirement, one that she had aced the pre-test in, and needed no other practice in. The pretest and final were that the same, a cruel joke teachers played on students to show them just how clueless they were upon entry to the class. However, even though it was an hour and 15 minutes long, Mio would pay no attention to the subject material.

She was still blushing from Ritsu's unintentional hand holding. She looked down at her right hand and noticed it was shaking ever so lightly. Had holding hands with Ritsu always felt that weird?

Yes.

Even back when she was a little girl, holding Ritsu's hand felt strange to her. She was around 7 when she met Ritsu... and even though her parents always told her to hold hands while crossing the street or while in a crowd, holding Ritsu's hand always felt strange.

Holding hands with anyone felt strange she guessed, she hadn't held many girls' hands in the past aside from her mommy, teachers, Ritsu, and surprise attacks from Yui on two occasions. The surprise attacks, she was too caught off guard to do or say anything, and Yui was a touchy feely kind of person anyways. That seemed normal.

Her mommy, -"Mother." She corrected herself quietly, she needed to get out of that habit- held hands with her of course, it was naturally for parents to hold their kids' hands! Teachers only did it when they were helping her across the street or something like that. They did with all little kids, and they hadn't done that since she was age 8. Aside from Sawako, who held Mio's hands back while undressing her... but that was just strange.

But... that's what REALLY bothered Mio. Holding Ritsu's hand and getting undressed my Sawako felt the same. Sort of. When Ritsu held her hand... she didn't feel like she was being raped. But she got that same nervous feeling. That kind of... vulnerable feeling. Sawako because she was being stripped down to the last shreds of her dignity... but why Ritsu?

Ritsu had done nothing. Ritsu had done little more than stare and accidentally grab her hand... so why was it weird? It shouldn't be! She and Ritsu had shared clothes before, shared the same twin mattress at sleepovers when they were young! Yet today, she was afraid of Ritsu's elbow touching hers? What the hell was going on?!

She wanted to continue thinking, but a voice broke her train of thought. "Mio... Mio are you ok?" A girl next to her asked.

Mio looked up from her hand and at the girl. She didn't know this girl very well, so her concern was strange. "Uh ya, why?" Mio asked, clearly surprised.

"Ohh I just saw you crying and thought I would ask..." The girl said, looking at Mio's hand, "Are you sure?"

Mio, at the revelation that she was now actually in tears, blushed and looked down at her lap. "No no, it's ok." She said hastily, not even trying to make eye contact with the girl. "Just didn't get much sleep last night I think... yawning and stuff..."

Despite the blatancy of the lie, the other girl nodded and turned back to the front of the class, with Mio left spinning her own little world.

Mio had almost preferred for the first time in her life to go home instead of practice. Not once in her life had she been so confused that it had actually brought her to tears, not once had she cried in class aside from being scared. She couldn't even remember the last time she actually cried so suddenly. Cried so suddenly she didn't even realize she was crying.

She took a few deep breaths... her heart literally ablaze with a mixture of shame, confusion, and disbelief. She actually wanted to cry, for the first time in a long time she wanted to cry out this frustration. She didn't like not knowing things... not knowing what was going on. She wouldn't let herself cry though, not in class, this was not the place to let her emotions show on her sleeves. One girl had already caught her crying and albeit not knowing herself, she took that as a sign that she didn't need to be crying right now. Hell, she was almost 18! She didn't need to cry at all, she was an adult!

Though it took 50 minutes of her telling herself that she was an adult, not a child, she managed to get all the way through her 5th hour. The teacher dismissed them right as the bell rang, and Mio left like a bat out of hell.

She... she couldn't make it to rehearsal. There was no way that she could do something like that. She was scared, yes, in a sort of goofy kind of way. But the main reason she didn't want to go wasn't because she couldn't face Ritsu. She could definitely face Ritsu. But her emotions were high. They didn't have a performance for a while, so missing a practice was no harm.

She made her way through the halls quickly; she had to find someone from the band to tell. Text messages would work, but they were impersonal. She thanked God that Mugi was the first person she ran into. The perfect person. Yui would have over thought it, Azusa would have questioned why, Ritsu would have pushed her into going to rehearsal, Sawako would have made some stupid assumption, but Mugi was ideal. Mugi was the girl that anyone could talk to.

Mio pulled her aside. "Tsumugi... I can't make it to rehearsal today..." She said, sounding a bit winded, "I feel really weird today. Light headed, my eyes are watering, my hand is tingling... could you tell the others?" Mugi nodded intently, a concerned look on her face. "A little rest and I'll be fine." Mugi seemed content with this, and Mio offered a grateful nod before making her way home. Her symptoms weren't fake, they were all real. But she didn't tell her why she felt that way. She would never lie to Mugi! Simply selective misinformation.

"Feel better!" Mio heard in the distance. It was Mugi of course. But... Mio didn't quite catch everything Mugi said. After Mio was safely out of ear shot in the noisy hall, Mugi added to herself, "Perfect."

* * *

After school, all members congregated in the Music room aside from the absentee. "Mio-Chan isn't feeling well today." Mugi explained as she poured some tea for the members, who were already eating the cake in the center of the table. "It looked like she was sick."

Ritsu, who would normally expect her friend to suck it up, gave Mugi a nervous glance. She expected that something had gone wrong. Mugi simply gave a smile and thumbs up.

What? No one said she was discreet! She could plan out intricate ideas to find out if Mio may be interested in Ritsu, but no one ever said she could hide it. Two hands clasped her shoulders. "A smile and thumbs up? I thought our darling Mio-Chan was sick!" A dark, adult voice said from behind Mugi's left shoulder. Mugi tensed up and shook her head.

"I uhh... I didn't mean to..." Mugi said with a blush. She would need to learn stealth some other time. All the brains and tactics in the world couldn't do you any good if everyone knew!

Thankfully, even though Sawako knew something had to be up with a gesture like that, the teacher took a seat and began to enjoy a pre-poured cup of tea. She was easily distracted, which was good.

Ritsu, content with Mugi's gesture, simply leaned back in her chair. Mugi would probably instruct her on what to do later, or give an accurate description of what Mio had actually said to her or done. Today however, she found no reason to be here. She looked to Mugi and mentioned for the door. Mugi understood.

She topped off everyone's cups, and put Ritsu's away. "We have a study session tonight, if Mio is feeling better." Ritsu lied, knowing Mugi couldn't. "I think we'll go check on her before we get to work on composition."

Sawako shrugged, "Whatever, no point in rehearsing today." She said, sipping at her tea, "Besides... I still need to do the new seating chart in home room because you two won't stop talking." She said. Her words clearly directed at Ritsu and Yui, who talked each other's ear off the entire period. Ritsu rolled her eyes, Yui apparently wasn't listening. The "adult" in the room finished her pastry and tea and left.

Mugi and Ritsu left as well, after waving good bye to Azusa and Yui. For the first time since everyone talked about leaving... Azusa realized something. She was alone... in the music room... with Yui.

For a while, nothing happened. Yui seemed perfectly content in eating her cake and sipping on the tea left by Mugi... but Azusa felt something strange in the air. She watched Yui, intently, without even realizing she was doing so. The caramel haired girl on the other side of the table didn't seem to take notice though. Obviously, the cake that Mugi had brought today was more than delicious enough to distract Yui.

Azusa barely even realized that she was staring down the girl. Not really staring down mind you, but definitely not a normal look. No one held a normal look for that long, for no good reason. 'I've never been with Yui-Senpai alone in here before...' She thought to herself as she watched the older girl eat, 'The only times we've been alone have been when I was giving guitar help...'

Had Yui not been thoroughly distracted, she would have seen just the smallest little sparkle in Azusa's eyes. Thankfully, Mugi had brought a lot of cake for the group that day, and Yui was intent on shoving as much of it inside of her as she could. Little did Mugi herself know that she had done nothing more than purchase Azusa more time.

'I wonder...' Azusa's inner monologue continued as she watched Yui help herself to another plate of the food, 'If this is how she eats at home...'

Indeed it was. Now, Yui wasn't an infant mind you, but she did like sweets an awful lot. She wasn't a messy eater by any means... but she wasn't polite either. She and Ritsu shared the –sarcastically- redeeming quality of stuffing as much food into their face in the least amount of time possible. Yui was showing it off now, and had already eaten a good 1/3 of the large cake.

However, Azusa didn't break her gaze from her. Not even after watching her virtually demolish a one course meal, composed of cake and tea, would she break her gaze. 'She's such a goof.' Azusa thought with a small, almost nonexistent smile on her face. 'I wonder how Ui deals with that at dinner time... I doubt she would even bring the food fast enough.'

Yui reached for more cake, big surprise, but something happened. As she was reaching over, her eyes drifted and caught perfectly in Azusa's. Azusa noticed, but her eyes did nothing she told them to, they simply widened, like a deer in headlights. Yui looked at the girl's eyes, unblinking, as if she actually were headlights. However, suddenly the senpai blushed, and set the cake down in the platter. "Sorry Azu-nyan..." The 3rd year said as she looked down at the table.

Azusa took a second to register, but the deer in headlights look quickly faded from her face. "S-sorry?" She finally spat out, "Sorry for what, Yui-Senpai?"

After a brief moment of silence, Yui finally looked up at the girl, her hand behind her head, and sheepishly admitted, "I forgot you were here..."

Azusa blinked... and blinked again. "Was the cake really that good?" She asked after a brief moment of silence. Yui nodded, and then blushed slightly, a look Azusa both appreciated and was surprised to see. She rarely had the pleasure of seeing an actual blush on Yui's face, it wasn't common place.

Yui was thinking different things. Naturally, her brain had a tendency to run off on it's own tangents every time she tried to form a thought, and for some reason, she felt like she had let Azusa down. Her panicked brain threw itself into overdrive and started thinking of something to say. Azusa wasn't breaking her glare at her, which was really an innocent if not bewildered gaze, and she had obviously –though she hadn't really- upset her Azu-nyan. Her brain tried to figure out what she could have done to upset her... ignoring her wasn't ringing any bells. Her brain explored, and found something!

"It isn't as good as your cake though Azu-nyan." Yui said finally, looking over at the younger girl... the younger girl who was now thoroughly confused. "Almost, but not quite."

Azusa looked at her, dazed and confused, before finally remembering the cake she had brought along for Mio –and the others as she liked to tell herself- on Valentines Day. Everyone had said it was really good... but what astonished her was that Yui actually remembered the cake. Heck, even she didn't remember the cake until now! So why on earth did Yui remember it?

"Ohh uhh... thanks." Azusa said, now even more confused. Without anything else to say, she decided to go on with the conversation they had started. "You really mean that?"

"Ohh ya!" Yui said, her face lighting up. "This cake is good and all, but yours was something else! I could taste the love and care in every bite! And you made it, which made it that much better!"

Azusa blushed and bowed. "Thank you Senpai!" She said quickly, "I worked hard on it!" And apparently, she had forgotten that Ui did most of the work... but praise felt good! Especially coming from Yui... her Senpai...

Yui nodded and set the remainder of Mugi's cake aside, "I could tell. I'll talk to you tomorrow Azu-nyan!" The older girl said, all smiles. In her mind, everything was fixed. She grabbed her stuff, and practically leaped over the table to give Azusa a well deserved hug.

For the first time in what might have been forever, Azusa hugged lightly back. Now left with far more questions than she had entered with, she watched Yui calmly leave the music room, Gitah in hand. She looked at the cake box on the table, most of it gone, and thought to herself... 'Maybe my Valentine wasn't for Mio-Senpai...'

* * *

A lot of MioxRitsu fluff again, which I apologize for. But the next chapters will begin to be more balanced, considering Azusa has her foot in the door.

For those who don't recall, they did a Valentines Day chapter, where Azusa wanted to get something for Mio. She made a cake with Ui, and wrote it off as a gift for the whole group... but ended up getting a sweet in return from Yui, so I used that as my springboard. Just a brief refresher for those of you who didn't exactly remember that one chapter ^^; Chapter 30 I believe... if my research earlier was correct.

Hope you enjoyed. For those Mugix? Fans... though I don't know who you might be at this point since "?" is unrevealed, you'll have to hang in there for a reason. The title has meaning to it, but it won't really come into play until the very end. Sorry ^^;

Please leave a review! I wanna know what you noticed, and what you want to see more of besides the obvious! Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

Mugi and Ritsu parted ways early, they had to. Mugi hated it when people actually saw where she lived... it was embarrassing. Regardless of how long you've known some one, who they might be, or how well you get along... when your family has a lot of money, the common assumption is that everything is easy for you. Everything is given to you. You have no worries. Doesn't matter if you deny it, or if they deny it, it happens subconsciously.

But with Mugi, it was quite the contraire. She had more worries about her well being and her life as a teenaged female than many others did. Sometimes she wondered if being rich had actually worked against her as a kid. She had never had a sleep over with friends, the first "training camp" was the first real sleep over event she had ever had with friends in her entire life. Even then, they didn't sleep in the same room.

She and Ritsu parted at their normal place, the bus stop where Ritsu normally got a ride home. Naturally, she wouldn't have taken the bus. She wanted to try it, but her father wouldn't let her normal succumb to such indignities. She walked off the other way, but today she wasn't sad to do so. Ritsu had all the guidance she needed for the night, comments and conversation aside. That would be left up to her.

Just a short walk away from the bus stop was her designated meeting place... the place where a private limo would pick her up every day. The limo was, as always, there and waiting for her.

She wasn't in a very talkative mood today, something that the professionally training limo driver could appreciate. He drove her every day, and at 70 years old, a teenaged girl could talk his ear off. He would always listen, and talk with the girl, but he was getting old and he had been doing this with her since she was in 2nd year primary school. She would often talk start to finish, and a 20 minutes drive twice a day for 12 years... that was hard to do. He loved her like one of his own, but an old man could take so much.

He sucked it up for her daily though. Her father was always gone. Her mother, due to being married to a powerful conglomerate owner, was gone just as frequently. And she was an only child. The light music club and the butlers and maids were the only people that Mugi ever really talked to. Mugi was ok with this most of the time, being slightly more introversive than people like... Ritsu. But sometimes, it was lonely.

She arrived home, her house about as extravagant and expansive as one would expect from a conglomerate owning family. The irony of it was that most of the time, the massive mansion housed her and 5-10 butlers or maids working tirelessly at nearly all hours of the day. She was never home alone. At night, after all the butlers and maids had gone home, one or two lone servants would stay awake and simply act as baby sitters to make sure Mugi was safe and had everything she needed.

And of course, the invisible hand of security.

Above all of it though, she had one area where she could be alone, an area that was only lightly dusted by a maid every day. Predictably, it was her room. A modest room on the third floor of their house, with everything that a teenager could ever want.

Mugi took a deep breath as she entered her room, locking the door behind her. Sometimes, the room was welcoming to her and she would comfortably settle in for the night. Other times, it was barren and stale. It didn't greet her... it simply existed to her, and that never made for a good time. TV, computer, no matter what she did... it didn't matter. On those nights, everything seemed against her.

She shook her head, fighting off the consuming feeling of loneliness that the large room often gave her. It was hard to do, hard to keep that feeling at bay, but she still had two things to do. Two things she would actually enjoy. Only one could happen at the moment, as the other was related to her plan for Mio and Ritsu. First, she needed to make a quick phone call.

She quickly changed out of her school clothes, and hung up the uniform with a precision that only the highest fiscal class could know. It was like a secret. A secret only shared after years of watching with maids and butlers do it for you. She didn't doddle however. After quickly changing into her formal nightwear, she was ready for the first half of the night.

She grabbed her cell phone from the night stand and flipped it open. Despite wealth, she didn't want a hugely expensive phone... or a hugely expensive anything. She liked the average look! She looked through her contact list, and there it was, Yui. She hit send.

After a few rings, it picked up. "Hey Mugi-chan!" Yui said instantly in her sing-song, almost childish tone of voice.

"Good evening Yui!" Mugi replied, thankful that she'd gotten in contact. She'd tried countless times to try and get in touch with Yui before and gotten Ui. She liked Ui and all, but it was always an awkward conversation. "Just calling to see if you needed any help getting ready for college exams, or that biology test coming up." She asked in a happy tone.

"Uhh..." Yui said, her voice trailing off. "I don't know..."

Mugi looked a bit confused, looking at her phone just to make sure Yui hadn't hung up on her. "I don't mind really, we still have some time before the test comes up so..."

"Mugi...?" Yui interrupted absentmindedly... you know, more than she already was. Mugi could tell in her tone that everything she had said had just passed through the girl. She waited for Yui to say something else. However, nothing came.

"Yes Yui-chan?" Mugi asked finally, having waited a good while for the girl to start saying something. She heard something, a loud thud on the other end of the line, along with a distant squeal. It was obvious to anyone. Yui had dropped the phone. She heard scrambling, smiling slightly at Yui's almost remarkable air headedness.

"S-sorry!" Yui said, getting the phone back up to her face. "I was just thinking about something..."

'I never would have guessed.' Mugi thought VERY sarcastically in her head, "What are you thinking about?"

"Stuff." Yui said plainly. Mugi was about to comment, say something about how remarkably vague it was, but Yui continued with a strange question. "Have you ever seen Azu-nyan's eyes?"

Mugi thought for moment. No, she wasn't thinking about the answer to the question. She was thinking about why it had been asked to begin with. "Ya, of course! We've known her for like a year now..."

"No," Yui said calmly, "I mean seen REALLY seen her eyes."

Mugi stopped for a second. Had she? Really... how did you "REALLY" see any one's eyes? She didn't suppose so, if she had she would have been able to tell the difference... right? Maybe it was something best friends shared. Yui and Azusa were close. "No I don't think so... why?" She asked calmly, despite her apprehension.

"You should some time... they are pretty." Yui said calmly, completely seriously. Mugi blushed slightly on the other end of the line.

"I'll try." Was pretty much the only thing the blonde could add... but she was almost entirely sure that she would never "REALLY" see Azusa's eyes. Because whatever had caused Yui to see those eyes... Mugi was sure was meant JUST for Yui. Not for her... not for anyone else. "Hey I gotta go to dinner. If you need help with studying, just give me a call ok?"

"Yup! Thanks Mugi!" Yui said, her tone back to the usual bouncy, bubbly tone. Mugi heard a click on the other line, and looked at her phone. She sighed as she looked through her contacts.

"Seems like love is in air..."

* * *

Mio calmly stepped in her room, finally relaxing a bit more after having taken a long shower to wash away some of her worries. She didn't know why, but it always seemed to help her calm down. She walked towards her room, her hair wrapped in a pink towel and a pink bathrobe loosely hugging her figure, and stepped inside. She was smiling as she walked into the room... and her smile only brightened as she saw a plate of various fruits laid out with a note. She picked it up and read it.

_Hope you are feeling better dear! You looked really down when you came home, and you missed dinner, so I made this up for you. Something for the tummy, not too light, not too heavy. Enjoy, and come down stairs if you wanna talk about it! Love you hun!_

"Mommy..." Mio said quietly in her room. She looked over the note again, and then at the large plate of fruit. Her mother was absolutely perfect with this kind of stuff, since Mio rarely felt under the weather. When she was even a little off, her mom would jump into action to make sure everything was perfect for her. Mio looked over at her back pack, and walked over to her desk.

She didn't have a lot of homework. She was the kind of girl that often did her homework in class, and even when she didn't, it only took a few minutes to get it done. Maybe 30 minutes of homework a night, miraculously. But it did bug her when it wasn't done... it didn't seem right to leave it incomplete, even if the due date was a week away. She pulled out her biology study guide and began to fill in the answers.

It wasn't but after the first answer was scribbled in did Mio's cell phone buzz on the desk. She looked at it, and her smile faded slightly. Yes, even while doing homework, she was smiling. But that phone made her nervous for more than one reason, especially when she saw who was calling. "Ritsu..." She said, looking at the caller ID on the phone, letting it buzz in her hand.

She knew why she was nervous. Ritsu was the one who had made her nervous earlier... but she was still her best friend. That strange feeling had gone... but now she would have to lie to Ritsu. Which was never fun.

After a few rings, Mio picked up the phone. "Hello?" She asked calmly, casually.

"Hey Mio!" Ritsu said energetically from the other end. Unlike Mio, who was simply masking the nervous emotions, Ritsu was using hers to simply convert into more energy. Just like she did at shows. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Ohh ya, don't worry about it." Mio said plainly. Mio may have just been masking her emotions... but she was definitely good at it. "I just had a little stomach problem, and I didn't get much sleep last night. I'm feeling better, and I'll be at school tomorrow." She was good at lying. It wasn't all a lie, her stomach was bugging her... the lack of sleep was probably the closest she came. She usually got 8 hours... but last night she only got 7. To her credit, it was less than she usually got...

"Ohh... cramps?" Ritsu asked with a sly smile... one that Mio could actually see in her head. That smile made Mio blush deeply.

"That's none of your business!"

"Relax, you know I'm just joking." Ritsu said with laughter in her voice. She was sitting on her bed, a common place for her when she talked with Mio on the phone. Normally, she may have detected something wrong with Mio. Now, thanks to Mugi's carefully guiding hand, she KNEW something was up. And that was good.

"Did I miss anything at rehearsal today?" Mio asked after a bit of a silence... still composing herself after Ritsu's more than blunt question. Sure, Ritsu had been asking straight forward questions like that since... well since they were ask able.

"Nah, everyone got out a little early. Sawa-chan had a conference; we don't have a performance for a while so me and Mugi left early; and I don't think Azusa and Yui did anything." Nah... they hadn't done anything! Yui had just "REALLY" seen Azusa's eyes... and Azusa was left questioning who she should have given her Valentine to way back when.

"Ahh ok..." Mio said. For the first time in a while though... she noticed something. Her phone call with Ritsu was awkward.

"You still there Mio?" Ritsu asked after a reasonable moment of silence. "Did I interrupt you from something?"

"N-no..." Mio replied sheepishly. "I'm sorry... I'm just not feeling very talkative tonight I guess."

"You sound nervous..." Ritsu said almost immediately. She couldn't hear it, nor see it... but she knew that Mio jumped. She saw the blush spread across Mio's face, she saw the girl struggling for something to say in reply, so she added, "It's me you know."

There was a long pause. Mio, who was now looking at her phone with an almost lost expression, couldn't think of what else to say to that. When it came down to it, Ritsu was absolutely right. It was just Ritsu... no one else. She heard Ritsu talking on the other line, obviously a little uncomfortable with the silence. "I mean, you've been acting a little off... are you sure you're going to be at school tomorrow? I mean, unless I've interrupted you from dinner or something."

"No." Mio said after a brief pause, "I'm just... I guess I am a little nervous. It's not you though." LIAR! "Today has just been... a little strange I guess. I think I'm just... just tired or something."

"What was weird about it?" Ritsu asked, feigning her ignorance flawlessly. As if she didn't already know. "Did something happen?"

"It's nothing." Another dirty lie, but somehow it was getting easier for Mio. "Don't worry about it, I'll be fine. I gotta finish up my homework and then head to bed in a few minutes. I don't wanna be drained tomorrow... after all, it's Friday."

"Ya definitely." Ritsu said on the other end. She didn't know if it was good or not, but the second thing Mio said, Mio actually said in her own voice. Not some shaky liar's voice. Mio was always terrible at telling lies... that was always Ritsu's job. Because Ritsu had the personality for it. "Heck, maybe we could do something this weekend. It's been a while since we just had a girls' day out right?"

"Ya it has. " Mio replied calmly, heading back over to her desk. She hadn't even realized it... but she had been pacing. "Sure, we can definitely do something this weekend."

"Alright cool! We'll say... ehh well say Sunday ok?" Ritsu said excitedly. She was gonna set a place... but she had no idea where to go. Believe it or not, she actually had the foresight NOT to blurt out some random place. After all, this was all part of the plan. For a while... everything would be.

"Alright great!" 'Hopefully I'm not afraid of you by then...' Mio went wide eyed. Her thoughts had taken over... and that last part was almost scary. She recomposed herself... kinda. "See you at school tomorrow! Bye!"

A click on the other line was all Ritsu heard after that rushed comment. She laughed to herself in that nervous, "not sure if I should be laughing right now" laugh. After that phone call, she felt a mixture of sick, excited, and helpful. Sick because she was scared of messing something up, excited because she was going somewhere this weekend with her best friend, and helpful because Mio had seemed to warm up near the end of the phone call.

The amber haired girl looked at her cell phone, where it read 5:02 seconds for her and Mio's little exchange of insignificant nervous comments. "What on earth was Mugi thinking me telling me to do that?" She asked her phone. No one was on the other line of course, but it had to be said. "Now Mio's probably even more creeped out..."

But it was on the contrary just a few miles away, where Mio was settling under the covers after having finished the homework. "It's just Ritsu... what are you so scared about?" The dark haired girl asked her "dark" room. She wasn't scared of the dark... but a nightlight always helped. That's what she told herself anyways. Her excuse to her friends was 'I don't wanna stub my toe in case I have to use the bathroom at night.' Plain and simple... the dim light made her feel safer.

"Ritsu is just Ritsu... there's nothing going on. Maybe she was right... maybe it is just that time of the month and I'm feeling... off. Cramps..." Mio said... though she almost definitely knew it was a lie. "There's no way..."

Ohh but there was

* * *

When Ritsu decided to call, Mugi had been waiting. Her phone session with Yui had left her with a strange feeling in her stomach. She wasn't sure if it were good or bad, but there was definitely a feeling. Yui had seen something she hadn't ever seen... something few people have probably ever seen. And that meant...

The phone buzzed on the night stand. It had been a calm evening, but just hearing Yui's voice was enough to brighten up the lonely atmosphere the room gave off at times. Mugi had had her supper, gotten ready for bed, and was already tucked under the covers according to her curfew. 10:30 PM. Even without her father there... she had to follow rules. Not that she would break them if he was gone, but she always had someone breathing down her neck, telling her what to do.

She picked up the phone and looked at the front screen. Not that she really needed to, she knew who would be calling. She flipped it open and held it to her ear, under the thick goose down covers. "Hello?"

"Hey!" Ritsu said excitedly from the other line. Mugi looked at the night stand alarm clock... how did Ritsu have this much energy at 10:50 PM, and none at rehearsal? Was that normal?

"Give me a second please Ricchan." Mugi said quietly into the phone. She hoped out of bed as quietly and quickly as she could, this was the closest she had come to breaking a rule since... 4th grade? When she went to the restroom without taking the pass? Yup. That was Mugi. The risk taker.

She sprinted to the door and gently closed it, stuffing a pillow under it to deafen the sound of her talking, before holding the phone back up to her face. "Are you still there?"

"Yup, just waiting." Ritsu said casually. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing." Mugi said calmly, getting back into her bed and under the covers. She sat cross legged a note book in hand, ready to take notes on what had happened. "Did you call Mio like I told you?"

"Of course." Ritsu answered bluntly. "I think we talked for... 5 minutes?"

'Perfect!' Mugi thought to herself as she wrote down the length of the call. 'Long enough that it wasn't ultra weird between them... but short enough to where both girls know that something is up.' "Alright, and what did you talk about?"

"Uhh... Mio told me some lie about why she hadn't come to rehearsal... asked what happened, to which I replied 'Nothing', and then got really quiet."

Mugi took down her notes under her covers and then replied. "And then?"

"Umm... well..." Ritsu said, a nervous smile forming on her face, "I told her she sounded nervous. Then I told her it was just me she was talking to and she didn't need to worry about it."

Mugi took the note down and thought for a moment, the dim lighting from her cell phone screen illuminating the pad under the covers. "That could be good or bad..." She said, writing down a "g/b" under Ritsu's comment. "Did anything else happen?"

"I said we hadn't had a girls' day in a while and invited her out on Sunday." At this, Mugi's eyes brightened. That was definitely a positive step. "Then she hung up shortly after... but she sounded a little... nervous before hanging up. A little rushed I mean."

"Good job Ricchan!" Mugi said excitedly as she scribbled down the note excitedly. The rushed hang up was a good thing, it meant Mio was a little more nervous than she normally would be. But, the date meant that Mio wasn't too scared or nervous to be around her best friend. That was also good. Mugi didn't want Mio falling head over heels for Ritsu right away... that would have taken all the fun out of it! "Well for now just relax, I think Mio needs a break just as much as you do. I have to go, before I get caught."

Mugi said the last part a bit urgently, as if she were on a mission. "Are you grounded or something?" Ritsu sounded almost in disbelief.

"No, but I'm supposed to be in bed right now!" Mugi's voice shifted from urgent to "I'm actually excited to be doing this because it's breaking a rule but I don't care because I never break rules and it's fun so ya!" A long way to describe her tone of voice... but that was all that Ritsu could think of. In her room, she chuckled, now in complete disbelief.

"You have a bedtime?!" She howled into the phone, causing Mugi to withdraw it from her ear. Ritsu laughed a good... 30 seconds before finally calming down, her laughter simmering down to chuckles. That wouldn't last for long.

"Ya, doesn't everybody?" Mugi asked completely clueless, causing a couple of weak snickers on the other end, before more extreme laughter. Mugi sat under her covers, looking at the phone, trying to find what was funny. Was there a joke on the screen? No. Was she having connection problems? No. Did her breath smell bad? She checked, and no. The last one was a bit... unnecessary, since they were on the phone, but she couldn't think of anything else!

"No Mugi..." Ritsu finally responded, wiping a tear of laughter away as she got back onto her bed, having fallen off, and resumed her sitting pose. "I don't even think Mio has a bed time any more."

"Ohh... so what was so funny?" Ritsu began to giggle again. Was Mugi completely unaware? Probably. "If you told a joke..."

"No no no..." Ritsu said in a hurry, "I was just looking on the computer and saw something funny. Don't worry about it." She managed to say, despite still holding back laughter. Whether Mio was her girlfriend or not, she would definitely be hearing about how... How... well how "Mugi-ish" Mugi was. It astounded Ritsu. "Well I'll let you get to beddy bye, good night Mugi-chan!" The brunette cooed, making it literally sound like baby talk at the end.

Mugi was completely ignorant. Good thing ignorance was bliss. "Alright! Good night Ricchan!" She said with a smile. She shut her phone and placed it on her night stand before running to the door, cracking it, and jumping back under the covers. 'What a strange phone call...' Mugi said, looking down at the cell phone. With that thought in mind, pushing out that lonliness her dark room was trying to give her, she went to bed. It was already 11 PM! That was the latest she had been up since last new years eve! Quite the daring girl she was...

* * *

I hope the sarcasm was palpable at the end there. Honestly, Mugi? A daring girl?

Hope this was an ok one! Review if you get the time, it helps me know what to do better on the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

"Onee-cha~an!" Was the first thing a certain brown haired girl heard in her morning, which lightly woke her from her dream like state. However, it wasn't nearly enough to get her completely out of her stupor... nor enough to make her open her eyes or end her current dream. "Onee-chan!" The voice was closer this time... but this girl spent most of her time sleeping. She was considered a professional by many standards.

"Yui?" A small voice said from the door, a small voice that was just shrill enough to shatter away the 30% sleep-like state that Yui Hirasawa was so desperately clinging on to. "Yui it's time to get up! School starts in 40 minutes!"

That wasn't enough motivation. Never was. Yui simply grumbled and rolled over in the covers. Her and her sister always had this battle... every single day. Whether Ui tried to get her up at 7 AM for school, or 11 AM because she was wasting the weekend away... it was always some class of fight that usually resulted in a bribe.

"But Yui! I have to get to school too and you can't afford another absence this trimester!" Ui said, getting closer to Yui's bed. Yui was... rock-like. "Onee-chan! I made beakfast for you! I made it just like you like it too... I wanted it to be a special Friday for my Onne-san..."

"Breakfast?" Yui asked, her ears almost perking up. She had forgotten, her sister knew her two weaknesses! Sleep and food! "What did you make?" She asked, still not getting out of the covers. Just the promise of breakfast wasn't enough.

"I made rice with nori and miso soup, as well as some nattō." Ui said, her hand under her chin as she thought. Yui stirred slightly under the covers, and Ui knew, like a fish on a hook, that that had done it. "But you have to come downstairs to get it."

Ui ran off, back down stairs after that comment. Now, she may have hooked Yui... but Yui was amazingly sloth-like when getting out of bed in the morning. It started a good five minutes later. Yui began the process like a clumsy butterfly emerging from its cocoon. After a bit of wriggling around under the covers, she was in perfect position to literally roll out of bed, onto the floor with a loud thud. Thanks to still being about 50% in covers, there was no pain.

Now, even though Yui went to sleep before Tsumugi, she was still exhausted. Instead of actually waking up once out of bed, she stayed catatonic for a good ten or fifteen minutes. She performed her morning duties, and with 20 minutes left before school started, she finally made it down stairs to eat her breakfast.

Ui knew from experience that Yui would often come down stairs after her shower either in PJ's, towels, or most traumatically, nothing at all. So, every day, to prevent something like that from happening, she hung Yui's school uniform on the door leading to the down stairs landing.

Today, that was a good idea.

With 15 minutes left until school started, Yui made it down stairs, her uncombed and school uniform lazily thrown on. However, as she finally made it out of her stupor, she smelled the miso soup her little sister had generously spent a good chunk of her morning preparing. Ui watched with wonder as Yui's eyes flickered with a hungry passion, and within seconds, the girl was awake and ready to go for the day.

Ui smiled. Nothing worked like food, it was like magic. Heck, it was even enough to distract Yui while Ui combed her hair and straightened out her uniform. With 10 minutes left until they had to be in class, both girls were on their way out the door.

They walked almost in silence that day, as they had to walk quickly, but Ui thought she might as well try and spark some small talk. "It's getting cold out again..." She said, warming her arms up with her hands.

"Yup, I'm excited!" Yui said energetically. Ui was... confused at this. Yui hated temperatures. She was like face soap. Store between 20-30 degrees Celsius or she'll expire.

"Ohh really?" Ui asked, tilting her head at her older sister as they walked. "And why is that Onee-chan?"

"Because winter is the season of love." Yui said plainly. Ui's confused expression managed to contort into almost intrigue.

"According to who?" She asked. Ui had never heard something like that!

"The author." Yui said matter-of-factly.

"What?" Ui asked, but Yui had already split off top head to home room. Ui was left dazed and confused as she headed to her own home room, her sister actually managing to throw her off for once in their life.

* * *

Yui arrived in her homeroom almost just as the final bell was ringing, her impeccable timing saving her from having Sawako... well... actually Sawako never did anything. If a student was late, she asked them why, they gave an answer, and it went uncharted and unnoticed. But, Yui saved herself from having to think of an excuse right? Taking her seat, Sawako took a quick version of role which basically consisted of looking over the class room and doing a head count, then checking that many heads present. Thankfully, today, everyone was present.

Even Mio, much to Ritsu and Mugi's relief. More over, Mio looked like she was feeling a little better than she had been the day before, maybe a good night's sleep was all she needed to get her head back on level playing ground. Homeroom was first in the day, the technical "first" period, though it only lasted 15 minutes before they all headed off to their next class. It was used to basically check attendance in the computer, and have the homeroom teacher explain what the class was doing, what was in their schedule, etc.

Most of the time though, it was role and then 12 minutes of talking. Chatter erupted around the class room as soon as Sawako was done on the computer, but one comment stood out in particular. "Wow Mugi-chan! You look like exhausted!" The shrill, almost urgent voice belonged to none other than miss Yui, who was practically on top of Tsumugi's desk, looking closely at the blonde's face.

She was tired... Tsumugi, for the first time in a long time, was tired in class. Her father had set her bed time at 10:30 for a reason! She always got a full eight hours of sleep that way, rather than the seven hours of sleep she got last night. And those seven hours of sleep left her exhausted, her head on her desk, and her eyes dropping. "Ya, I didn't get much sleep last night. I was on the phone with... an old friend." She said, barely catching herself.

"How late were you up?" Yui asked, leaning in closer to look into Mugi's blood shot eyes.

Mugi looked triumphant, sitting all the way up and stretching nonchalantly. "Ohh like... 11:00." She said with a smile. Ritsu looked over the two and their escapades. Yui went wide eyed and smiled.

"Wow! I went to bed at 10!" Yui said, at which point Ritsu started laughing.

However, just a few feet from these two, Mio was sitting quietly reading her book. Ritsu had been distracted, laughing at Mugi and Yui who were discussing their sleep schedules, much to Ritsu's amusement. However, Mio found this the perfect time to go talk with Nodoka. She turned ALL the way to her left and smiled at the class president.

Nodoka smiled back. "Good morning Mio."

"Good morning Nodoka. How are you doing today?" Mio asked pleasantly, smiling brightly.

"Good good, did you ever solve that 'Philosophy' problem that you had yesterday?" She asked with a very casual wink. Thank god Nodoka was brilliant, and Ritsu was easily distracted.

Mio timidly shook her head. "No, in fact the more I thought about it... the worse it got."

"Maybe you're over thinking it." Nodoka said calmly, looking over at Ritsu, Yui, and Mugi. Ritsu was laughing uncontrollably; Yui was looking with an awe filled expression at Mugi, who was looking at Ritsu with a confused expression. Obviously, Mugi still didn't get the joke, Yui didn't think there was a joke, and Ritsu was finally the most aware person in the room.

Mio on the other hand, was looking at Nodoka between her fingers, her hands pressed tightly against her face. "It's not that easy though. That problem is... is more difficult than you think." Mio said, shaking her head and looking down. "There's only three possible answer for it..."

"Maybe you should narrow them down." Nodoka suggested, getting her books ready as the time to go to their second class came, "Just don't wear yourself it, think about it in small doses and just let it come to you."

God Nodoka was smart. Or maybe just clear headed. Mio wasn't stupid though, might as well follow the directions that made the most sense.

Mugi's "Mugi" sense went off as she broke her confused stare and looked over at Nodoka and Mio. Nodoka's warm smile towards Mio and Mio's visible compliance were more than enough to make Mugi know that something juicy was up. Apparently now... Nodoka was involved. Now she just had to find out one thing. Ally or Enemy?

* * *

The day moved fluidly. Mio had already pretty much gotten the stupid stare from Ritsu yesterday out of her head, and following Nodoka's advice, she was able to make it through philosophy class without any trouble. She did find herself looking at Ritsu quite a bit, but she didn't quite know why she was looking. Perhaps because in the back of her head, she still couldn't get this whole situation out of her mind.

Or maybe she was gay. It's a possibility right? 'Just don't over think it...' Mio thought as she dashed her eyes away from Ritsu. Ritsu was barely awake in the class that day, and didn't even notice her gray eyed crush staring at her every other minute. Mio turned back to the front with a huff, looking at the dim over head projector. She quickly put Ritsu in the back of her head, as far back as it would go.

For the first time in 24 hours, Mio felt almost complete relief... and a little bit of a headache. It was well worth it though, as she could turn her attention back to the lecture and actually learn something today.

However, just a few doors down, another raven haired girl was in a similar dilemma. She was looking around the room, her eyes darting from place to place, looking around for her Senpai. Unlike Mio, this younger girl actually liked thinking about her current object of obsession, which happened to be right behind her...

"Azu-nyan!" Was the only warning Azusa received before two arms wrapped around her, and her entire body filled with the warmth of a tight, loving hug from Yui. Their first hour together was Japanese Women's Literature, which started slow, and mostly consisted of about thirty minutes of class and forty-five minutes of "reading". Yui held tight, rubbing her head against Azusa's back as she hugged. Azusa simply rolled her eyes, slapping would have been impossible... and unwanted by both girls.

"Good morning Yui-senpai." Azusa said with a smile, turning her head back to face Yui slightly, "You seem energetic."

"Because it's winter!" Yui said with a triumphant grin, releasing her arms from Azusa and taking a pose. "And you know what that means right?"

Azusa looked at her and crooked her head. "I'm not sure... the school festival* is coming up?" She asked quizzically... what else could it mean? Late fall was the school festival, and summer break was over. The school festival was actually coming up alarmingly quick, which reminded Azusa to put a little more effort into practicing. Thankfully, they still had about a month before the school festival actually came. "And you do know that it's about 60 degrees out right now?"

"Yup! It's cooling down!" Yui said, looking towards the window. "Gradual Winter!"

"Most people actually... we actually call it 'Fall'." Azusa said with a smile. She looked into Yui's eyes, and of course, Yui seemed unphased by it. After all, in Yui land, any thing was possible. Fall could be Gradual Winter, and Spring could be the opposite. As far as Azusa was concerned, that was fine. No reason to question the logic of a space cadet like Yui, and obviously, winter was exciting for her.

'I wonder what she's waiting for winter for...' The raven haired girl said as the teacher called them to attention. The literary class was simple as long as you did your homework, which was only about 20 pages of reading per night of whatever random theme the teacher chose. 'I could have sworn that Yui-Senpai hated the cold... Maybe she's just excited about 'gradual winter', since it's not as hot and the school festival is coming up.'

Azusa spent a good chunk of role call and class announcements trying to analyze the mind of Yui... something that few people could possibly manage despite degrees and training. Azusa took a quick glance at Yui, who was scribbling down what might been that day's assignments, or might have been Godzilla eating a pine tree. 'I guess that's what makes her so loveable...' Azusa said, smiling weakly, 'You think you can expect one thing from her and... something else different happens. And... and she likes to touch. A LOT.'

"Class, last week you took a final exam on the reading of Taketori Monogatari, and I have to say... the results were poor." The remarkably raspy voice of the Japanese Women's Literature teacher said, derailing Azusa's train of thought. Azusa silently cleared her throat, she had to! Every time she listened to Ms. Yamanouchi talk, it felt like she was choking. Ya, that's the kind of person teaching a literature class, the kind some people can't stand to listen to. "I'm beginning to think that half of you never even picked up the book."

Then, much to Azusa's dismay, the teacher began passing the tests around the class room, while ranting about how poorly all of them did. Occasionally she would stop at one student's desk and smile and make a comment like, "Thank you for reading." Or "Impressive." But the ranting stayed the same. "Honestly, I never expected to see the class average fall below a seventy five percent, but after this test?! I wouldn't be surprised one bit!"

Azusa felt her test land on her desk with a prominent "**77%**" marked at the top. It was better than anyone else around her, and that book was a tough read. Seems like anything written a thousand years ago would be difficult to get through. The teacher continued her rants, before stopping, but she wasn't back at the front of the class.

She looked over to where the teacher's voice had stopped and saw that she was now almost directly Yui, who had practically frozen in place. The teacher dropped the test on her desk, and although Azusa couldn't see the score... she could tell that Yui hadn't done too hot. Yui wasn't a test person, and she wasn't a reader... that combined really dug a pretty deep grave for the poor thing in literature class.

"See me during reading time Hirasawa-san." The gritty voice of the teacher said quietly. Azusa shivered for Yui, it was almost like a growl coming from a teacher. Not only that, but the use of the honorific and Yui's last name... that was like a death sentence. Yui looked a little shell shocked as she looked at the paper, staring at the top of it almost blankly. Almost as if she had never seen numbers so low.

Azusa looked at Yui with the most sympathetic look she could manage, but Yui didn't seem to take notice of it. She was far too absorbed trying to absorb the "**14%**" written on the top of the page in heavy ink. Had she ever gotten such a low grade on a test before?

The teacher, obviously frustrated, retreated behind her desk and gave the students the command to "Do whatever the hell you want." However, today, the room was very quiet for the first few minutes of "reading" time. Everyone knew that they were bound to get eaten alive if they even said one thing out of line.

Though it wasn't long before Yui was called up to the desk, and everyone took that as a sign that Ms. Yamanouchi was thoroughly distracted. When lecturing a student, the teacher devoted all her attention to that one thing. This allowed the other students to discuss their fifty to sixty percent scores, call the teacher whatever they wanted under their breath, and do whatever they wanted to do with their test.

Tear, rend, destroy, et cetera. It was fair game when scores were that low. Azusa was one of the few who quietly tucked her test in her backpack and opened Kyoko Mori's "Polite Lies". The girl however... she paid no attention the words on the page.

She used it as a shield, if only so she could occasionally look up and see how Yui was doing up at the front of the class. Yui was standing there, and the words being thrown at her were actually being absorbed. Occasionally, she would nod. Occasionally she would look down at her feet, the most timid way of saying "no". For the most part though, Azusa could tell that Yui was actually listening, taking in every word the teacher was throwing at her.

That both impressed and terrified her. What on Earth could the teacher have been saying? What on Earth could have held Yui's attention for what must have been a solid fifteen minutes at this point? She wondered if she might be able to get lessons on how to do that... it would have been nice to use whatever technique Ms. Yamanouchi had on Ritsu and Yui in rehearsals.

Eventually, a hand shooed Yui away, and the girl turned with a defeated look on her face. Slowly, almost zombie like, Yui began to walk towards the back of the class where she and Azusa went for reading time. Azusa was... eager to know what Yui had been told. She rushed to the girl, standing with her hands clenched. "What did she say!?"

Yui stopped for a moment, looked at Azusa, and then looked at the test. "She said if I don't pass the retake I get kicked out of the class." She said in an almost... unbelieving tone of voice. Yui stared straight ahead, looking at Azusa. Azusa could tell... Yui had been hit pretty hard. Any time Yui's mouth hung open slightly and she got that blank stare on her face... there was trouble in her Senpai's head.

The two looked at each other for a while, Azusa not sure what to do next. She didn't want to lose her Senpai... not in this class. This class was the most fun when they weren't getting yelled at because of all the free time they had together. Then, in an action so sporadic Azusa surprised even herself, her arms shot out and she pulled Yui into a tight hug.

Yui looked down at the girl, who had buried her face in her chest, and smiled. The older girl had no trouble returning the hug... no matter how unexpected it was. She held Azusa's head close and giggled. "It's ok Azu-nyan." She said, petting the girl's hair lightly.

"I... I don't wanna be alone..." The small girl said, though her words were slightly muffled by Yui's body. Azusa didn't know anyone else in the class. She had been put in the senior level class because she had tried hard last year... but what on earth was she to do without Yui? That was her only friend in this sea of third year students.

"You'll never be alone." Yui said firmly. Azusa blushed at the word... it felt so odd hearing something like that coming from her Senpai. Something so calming... something so wise. "You're a good girl. A very good girl."

Azusa guessed she was... and her grip on Yui loosened slightly as her feeling of security increased in the older girl's arms. Pretty soon, Yui took over the hug and was holding Azusa tightly.

Azusa felt so warm... felt so safe in the older girl's arms. Maybe Yui was right... she never would be alone would she? No, because Yui would always be there for her. She tightened her hug again, pulling Yui back into the warm embrace. However, this warm hug wouldn't last much longer, as Yui would bring it to a close. "Friendship kiss." She said, but she had gotten smarter. She leaned in and kissed the top of Azusa's head, before any hand could object the action.

Azusa practically leapt away from the hug after this, blushing deeply and looking at her Senpai, unsure of what to say next. It was too late to slap her, if she slapped her now that would just be a bitch move... and... well... it might have made Yui think... it was a bad thing. It wasn't...

Azusa looked at Yui, who as smiling innocently as she usually was at this point. She quickly shook of the kiss, rubbing the top of her head and shaking it back and forth. "Right! So we'll study Taketori Monogatari, and you'll ace the retake!" Azusa said abruptly, not really sure what else to say at that point. Though it was only a light kiss... that might not have meant anything... it was a kiss.

Yui nodded and took out the tattered old copy of the book from her back pack, then sat down. Azusa did the same, and before long both girls had buried themselves in the text. Yui looked like she was retaining the information quite well... Azusa looked like she was retaining the kiss and nothing else.

* * *

All the excitement of the day was apparently diverted into the first half of it, as nothing out of the ordinary occurred in second hour. Ritsu wasn't really in the mood to talk about or worry about the plan Mugi and her had set up, and Mugi was in huffish mood since discovering what Ritsu was laughing at. She wasn't laughing with her! She was laughing at her!

It was a forgivable offense, since it was Ritsu, but it was still kind of hurtful. And exciting. Not once in her life had Mugi remembered being the butt of the joke... and as embarrassing as it was... it did have a sweet side. She was one of the girls, nothing more or less. She wasn't "Ojou-san" or "Ojou-Sama", she was Mugi-chan.

However... as the day went on... Mugi couldn't help but feel a little out place even still. That day, all the Keion girls decided that they should have lunch in the club room, and it went by as normal. They all came with their lunches packed, Mugi had gotten some extra cake and of course, tea from home, and was the first to get there, set up, and prepare for the activities.

The members filtered in two by two that day. Ritsu and Mio walked in, acting _almost_ normal enough for Mugi to believe that Mio had gotten back to her normal state of mind. Yui and Azusa walked in together as well, and Mugi could definitely tell that there was something up with those two. Azusa was acting far more quiet than usual, and Yui looked far too content to still have two periods left in the day.

Though Mugi didn't know what had happened, though she imagined that based on the knowledge Yui had inadvertently given her yesterday, that there had been contact between the two of the girls. Not just a hug either... Those two hugged all the time. There was something else going on with that.

Mugi quickly served everyone their accessory foods, on top of what they had brought from home. She happily observed as the girls tried to interact with each other in a normal fashion, Azusa trying to carry on a normal conversation about the upcoming school festival with Yui staring at the girl, intently nodding and agreeing with every word that came from her mouth. Ritsu and Mio trying to plan somewhere to go that Sunday on their get together...

And then her. Mugi looked around at them, and felt a familiar feeling as she looked about the room... at the four girls sitting around her, all locked in conversation, or in Azusa's case, trying to be locked in conversation... and Mugi sitting off at the head of the table, near the tea in case anyone needed more. She looked around at them as if seeing a new animal, a look of revelation on her face as she realized that this was normal. But what was with this sense of loneliness?

It wasn't as bad as what her room gave her sometimes, no where near as bad... but it was actually present. It came and went over her nearly three years with the group, but only now did she realize why. When it came to most normal conversation... she was the outsider.

Of course, she always put her two cents in for everything, especially if asked... but if she didn't have the guts to enter conversation without an invitation, she would often be left occasionally being called over for tea or more cake. She looked at the girls, obvious concern on her face... but all of them were wrapped up in their conversations with one another. She took a deep breath, and turned back to her lunch. She had to press this feeling down... she had to press it away. If she didn't, who knows what would happen.

There was no way she was going to cry. NOT in front of her friends. She pushed the sense of loneliness away, as she often did in her room, even though it was with some difficulty. Now she had two things to worry about. The loneliness was the first thing... but she also had to worry about whether it was true or not. There was no way it could be true... these were the best friends a girl could ask for.

She brushed away her thoughts, shaking her head and repressing them as far as they would go, almost making herself sick to her stomach in doing so. It hurt that that might be true, the pain in her chest made it feel like her insides were completely empty. Is this what her maids and butlers felt like? No, because the maids and butlers would talk to each other.

But today, Mugi wasn't addressed, and no conversation was interject-able. Azusa and Yui had made plans to study a little bit with Ui, and Mio and Ritsu were going to go out on Sunday. Mugi had all weekend, all the free time in the world... but once again, she didn't fit in with any of the plans being made. Sure, she would help Ritsu, which was a warming feeling... but she wouldn't be with Ritsu and Mio. She couldn't be. That wasn't her place.

It rarely ever was. Unless the entire Keion club was doing something, like a training camp or music shopping, she didn't go along. That fact hurt even more. Was she just a member of the club?

'No!' Mugi screamed in her head. 'I had fun with Ritsu that day, she invited me to go around town with her, and we both had fun. And I'm helping her hook up with Mio. I'm not an outsider, they know me. They are my friends, the best friends I've ever had and probably ever will have. I need to stop depressing myself. I'm only seeing the bad side right now, and that's never good. Besides, if I made them worry about me, about something so stupid, I would never forgive myself for it.' She repeated this in her head, again and again, and kept a straight face the entire time. However, it wasn't her usual pleasant smile, it was more rigid... more stern.

That worked for a while, and Mugi sat, listening to her friends' conversations, pleasantly wondering what was going on between Azusa and Yui. Perhaps she would ask Yui later, since she would probably know what happened. She had to; she was the one that caused it. She had to be.

Near the end of lunch the dark thoughts resurfaced. Just after the bell rang for the senior members to go to biology and for Azusa to head off to her fourth hour... math she believed, Mugi looked at the group leaving. She stayed behind to clean up briefly, as she always did.

In her head, she visualized all of them holding hands with who they should be. Ritsu held Mio's hand, Azusa held Yui's hand. She looked around her in her visualization. Her hands were empty.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed.

*The school festival timing seems to be really strange in the manga. At the third year, right after they perform at the festival... it starts snowing. However, in anime and early school festivals, it seemed to be more of a summer kind of thing. Weird, so forgive any time confusion. Trust me, I'm confused as well.

Ohh ya, long chapter by the way. The next one is a tad shorter, back to the norm, but as you can guess... it's gonna be a MAJOR Mugi angst chapter.

In fact, I think the entire thing is Mugi angst. Aside from one small reprieve leading up to it. Sorry to those not into it... I started writing it and it just kinda happened. I wanted to put more in the chapter... but by the time I realize I had finished with Mugi... my word count was already almost 4000. No room left for another scene, so I'll just put it in another chapter.

That will be coming on Sunday, March 21.

Hope you enjoy the longest chapter yet! Please leave reviews, writing Azusa/Yui is always hard and I wanna know how to improve on it for the future. Thank you all for reading and sticking through with it thus far, and thanks to everyone who has reviewed if I haven't thanked you in person yet!


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of the day moved quickly, nothing seemed to happen. Fourth hour, fifth hour, it passed like nothing even happened or existed there. Mio was busy trying to focus on not focusing on Ritsu. Ritsu was far more successful than Mio had been, and was simply living this day as she would any other. Yui was... thinking about whatever the hell she thought about on a regular basis, something that few other people would probably be able to come up with if they tried. Azusa was still devoting about forty percent of her conscious thought to that spot on her forehead where she could still feel Yui's lips. And last but certainly not least, Mugi was pumping herself up for rehearsal.

Rehearsal came soon enough of course, as the lecture in biology and all the respective fifth hours seemed to exist just to end that day. Nothing happened in any of them. No girl had a revelation, no life changing discoveries. No exciting drama happened with teachers or students. It was all pretty much going with the flow as much as it could possibly go, despite almost every girl being distracted by something.

Even though it was only roughly 2 hours of class, Yui and Ritsu both immediately slumped into their chairs at the after school "rehearsal". "So tired..." Ritsu said, letting her head fall against the desk hard enough to shake the tea cups. Mugi calmly came over and poured a nice orange tea into the empty cup.

"Well maybe if you went to bed at a reasonable hour, you wouldn't be so tired all of the time." Mio said calmly, practically taking the words out of Mugi's mouth, the words that Mugi would have never had the courage to say. "I mean honestly, 2:30 AM last night?"

"This morning." Ritsu corrected, still not lifting her head. She reached for the cup of tea, like it was coffee, and brought it to her face. She then began experimenting with ways to try and drink out of the cup with her head sideways, using as little effort as possible. Perfect... except for the fact6 that all she did was drink about half of the tea, and burn herself with the other half of it.

Azusa came in to the club room that day, followed by a very solemn looking Yui. Azusa took a seat and began drink the tea that Mugi poured almost automatically, thanking her with a half hearted smile before turning to Yui... who had taken a pose almost identical to Ritsu's. They had discussed this on their way here, but apparently Yui wasn't willing to go through with it. So, Azusa decided that she would be the one to start. "Yui-Senpai, didn't you have an announcement for everyone?"

Yui rolled her head over and looked at her, giving her the "why did you deceive me" look before hanging her head. Mugi stopped bussing about, and Mio looked curious at her, Ritsu still keeping her head down, nearing sleep. Yui lifted her head up slowly, looking into her lap, and muttered, "I have an F in Literature... I can't play with you guys..."

Mio's eyes went wide, Mugi simply looked at the girl as if having expected it, and Yui blushed slightly. "I think it can be agreed then..." Azusa said, taking her presidential tone of voice, "That she be sent home with her sister early today so the two can study, rather than having to perform without her on the festival."

"I think that is a very wise course of action." A womanly voice said, none other than Sawako who was sipping on a cup of tea. It always seemed that Mugi was the only one to notice that she had come in... but Sawako wasn't stupid. A little immature at times, definitely, and she would openly admit that... but never stupid. She knew exactly why Mugi noticed when she came in.

The others, particularly Ritsu, immediately shot their head towards Sawako. "I think this brief reprise from rehearsal is a good thing anyways. Studies have shown that if you over practice something, you'll play worse." The Sensei said with a nod.

"And when did you start reading studies Sawa-chan?" Ritsu asked, a sly expression on her face. Sawako turned her nose high in the air, and huffed.

"Well Ritsu, some of us actually do have regular jobs that require us to keep up with the latest. I am a teacher as well you know, and I teach actual classes. I have to know what goes through your minds and how they work." Ritsu was a bit dumbfounded at this... amazed at the level of professionalism the woman was portraying. This was something the drummer hadn't seen in... almost two and a half years? Since asking Sawako to become the advisor? Yup, that sounded about right.

"S-sure..." Ritsu said, turning away from the teacher.

"You are excused Yui... and Azusa, follow along and make sure she makes it to her sister." Sawako said, staring almost knowingly at Yui. "I would say we could call rehearsal off early today. You know... after we finish tea of course..."

"Of course." Azusa said with a small smile on her face.

The group waited for Yui, who was taking extreme time to finish her tea, before Azusa took her off. The second year waved good bye to all the Senpais, before helping Yui out of the Music room and down the hall.

The four left chatted for a while, mostly Ritsu and Sawako with Mio throwing in a comment every now and then, which ended with both Mio and Sawako ganging up on the drummer, who was defending her topic to the best of her ability. Mugi didn't really pay attention to their topic, but it was something about practicing, Ritsu saying they needed to do it more, Mio saying she never does it, and Sawako saying that the week off would help. Mugi was focused on something else.

For two years now... she had wanted to be alone with Sawako-sensei. And with rehearsal cancelled, and Sawako still in the room... it looked like that might actually happen today. She was already nervous, it was a scary concept. She knew how Ritsu felt, however Ritsu felt when going through with part of the plan. Though Ritsu was far more aggressive and probably fought through the feeling a bit better. Mugi had never been so nervous in her entire life.

Her nervous feeling was confirmed by Ritsu loudly saying, "Fine, well I guess we won't rehearse today! But don't blame me if we suck!" Mugi turned just in time to see Mio smack Ritsu HARD in the top of the head.

"Baka Ritsu..." Mio shook her head, "just shut up before you embarrass yourself..." Mio's gaze was directed away from the girl holding her head. Ritsu was on the floor, feigning injury.

"Whatever... let's just go home. Come on, I'll walk with you." Ritsu said, getting to her feet, clearly defeated at the topic they had been arguing about. Mio, much to Mugi's surprise, agreed. Perhaps a good thing... perhaps a bad thing. Mio was getting comfortable... either with having Ritsu as a crush, or having Ritsu as a best friend. Good or bad, Mugi couldn't tell.

So, Mugi hinted to Ritsu by clasp her hands together and shaking them once, to which Ritsu nodded. The two had the code down. Mio and Ritsu left, chatting about nothing, and Mugi's butterflies came back as she looked towards Sawako, who was standing, waving goodbye to the two.

This was it... the moment of truth. Mugi was alone with her sensei, with her secret school girl crush since almost 3 years ago. In her vision earlier... she had forgotten that Sawako was technically in the Keion club... Who cared if she was X amount of years older than Mugi. Soon enough, Mugi would be turning 18, and it wouldn't matter any more! She and... and her sensei could be together.

"Good afternoon Sawako-Sensei." Mugi said, breaking the silence as she brought over more tea and topped the woman's glass off. They would need to talk for a while, and a full cup of tea would ensure that she stayed for bit... Mugi hoped.

"Ahh, good afternoon to you too Mugi-chan." Sawako said, smiling warmly as she sipped at the cup of tea.

Mugi took a seat across from the teacher, and set the tea kettle down. She didn't want to drink anything, or eat anything, as she was feeling pretty sick to her stomach at the thought of what was even going on right now. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for her confession. It seemed like it had to be true. Azusa had Yui, and Ritsu had Mio. She had to have someone. She couldn't have gone through all of her years of high school without someone!

"You're staring at me Mugi-chan." Sawako said plainly, causing Mugi to jump slightly in her seat. "I think I know why though. Don't I?"

Mugi blushed and looked into Sawako's eyes. These weren't the eyes she had seen before, these eyes were almost omniscient. Sawako's brown eyes stared into her blue ones. Sawako's "all knowing" eyes staring in Mugi's confused, nervous ones. Mugi thought about it, and offered a small nod. Sawako simply took a deep breath and gave Mugi a small smile.

"Then you already know the answer don't you?" Sawako said calmly, her look of omniscience mixing with one of empathy.

"I hope not..." Mugi said calmly, though Sawako was right. She did know the answer, and it was clear of day. To deny it would have been a foolish gesture of hopeful stupidity.

"I'm sorry Mugi-chan. But it would be impossible." Sawako said, her voice heavy with the terrible truth. "You're a student, and I'm a teacher. It would be wrong; I would lose my job, and there is so much of an age gap."

"I'm almost 18 though. I can wait until I graduate! I don't need it right now! I just want to know if... if you would..."

"No. I wouldn't." Sawako said firmly, her voice weighted with sorrow towards Mugi, who was now looking both lost and completely defeated. "Listen Mugi-chan. You're a beautiful young woman, you're smart and you're very pretty. But I'm..." She coughed loudly, "Years older than you. Do the math, if I graduated from high school, and college, and student teaching, before you even made it to your first year, I'm at least eight years older than you." She did put a little extra weight on the "at least" part... but Mugi knew that it was probably more like ten or twelve, considering the other teachers referred to her as a peer.

Mugi blushed. She almost felt like she was back in primary school, being lectured about how wrong it was to like someone much older than you. A teacher even... "I... I know." Mugi said, her words quiet, muted by her sorrow and anger at herself. "But after I graduate... I mean people get married who are fifteen years apart!" Mugi was now at the point where she was defending whatever fallen hope of a romance she had left in her. "Eight, ten, twelve years isn't that bad. As long as there is romance!"

"Yes but Mugi, there isn't." Sawako said almost crushing the poor thing across the table entirely. "I'm in a difficult spot here alone... having to tell you that it can't happen... but you have to realize it. I'm straight."

Mugi felt a familiar sensation, as a tear ran down her cheek, her blue eyes clouding up with thick tears. She wiped them away, saying "I'm sorry..." as she did so. She hated it when other people saw her crying; it broke her heart.

"Don't be sorry." Sawako said firmly, getting up to her feet and walking over to the girl. "Trust me; you're not the only one seeing it. Azusa was acting off today. Heck, Ritsu and Mio? You don't think I don't know what your wink and thumbs up were yesterday? Why Mio wasn't at rehearsal?" She placed a hand on Mugi's shoulder and gave a warm smile.

"I'm being greedy..." Mugi said, relishing at the previously unknown touch of Sawako-sensei. Sawako had never touched her before, she had never had to. Mio yes, Mio got the attention, but never her.

"I know what it feels like." Sawako said, pulling up a chair next to the girl and stroking her back. Mugi felt more tears give way at the contact, and she calmly wiped them away. "I know that you're feeling lost and alone. I've been there before, tons of times. It's different for me; I just deal with rejection from guys all the time, but it's the same feeling."

Mugi took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm just scared." She said, a hollow and empty feeling appearing in her once again. Chills ran threw her body at every contact she made, unpleasant chills. "They're all perfect for each other... every one of them... Ritsu and Mio go together like a puzzle and so do Yui and Azusa."

"Yes they do." Sawako said plainly, tilting her chair towards the girl so she could be prepared for what she knew was coming.

"But no one is perfect for me. I thought maybe you... just maybe... but now... now I know that... that it was just a stupid, childish fantasy." Mugi said, practically spitting the last part at herself as the tears came again.

"No it wasn't Mugi." Sawako said plainly, shaking her head. A school girl crush it was, but also something more. There was more behind it than just a simple crush on a teacher. Mugi didn't accept that though.

"Yes... it was. A naïve fantasy." Mugi said, taking a couple deep, heaving sighs. "It's hard watching it though... but I can't stop helping. It's confusing to me. I wanna watch Mio and Ritsu together because I know they'll be happy but... but at the same time I... don't. I wanna hold on to the hope that... that maybe I could..."

That was as far as Mugi got in the race against her tears. She collapsed in her chair, her head held in her hands, curled up against her legs. Sawako reached over and pulled Mugi out of it, helping the girl into a tight hug.

Mugi and Sawako stayed like this for a good... 10 minutes, with Mugi constantly sobbing into Sawako's shoulder, her hands wrapped tightly against her sensei. All the loneliness she had been pressing down, trying to repress into nothing for the past few weeks had fallen apart, and were now removing themselves from Mugi's body through her tear ducts. Sawako held tight the entire time, much to the sensei's credit. She might have been a peer and a goof while around all of the girls, but she was an adult and she did know how to act mature enough.

Mugi realized something while she was crying that made it easier to stop though. Even though there was no chance for love between her and her Sensei... for the first time she had cried in quite a few years, she wasn't alone in doing so. She had warm, caring hands wrapped around her, hugging her back. She had someone with her, helping her through it. Her parents weren't there when her room got the best of her and the lonely feeling in her heart consumed her. Neither were her butlers and maids. Why would they be? Though she talked with them and chatted with them, and they held her with the utmost respect, they didn't need to help her through her rough times. She didn't even tell them she had them when they came.

So all the emotions, the repressed feelings, the lonely feeling that crept up on the poor creature when ever she came home, or realized that she wasn't being talked to by her friends... it all finally came pouring out on Sawako's welcoming, motherly shoulder. Sawako stayed through it all.

When Mugi finally pulled away, she looked exhausted, weak, and about 20 pounds lighter. Not literally mind you, but the weight her emotions were giving her over the past few weeks, the mental weight of it all, it seemed to be considerably reduced. Probably because Sawako's shoulder was considerably more wet than when she had come in. She didn't mind though, because it didn't take a genius to know that is exactly what Mugi needed.

"Thank you..." Mugi said quietly, taking a few shaky breaths. Sawako simply smiled and nodded. "I... I haven't cried that hard in a long time... I'm sorry..."

"It's my pleasure Mugi-chan." Sawako said simply. "Sometimes it's all you need."

Mugi nodded and looked down at the table. "There's... there's just been so much going on recently... My parents have been gone... and I'm watching all the girls I love fall in love with girls who aren't me..." Sawako nodded, an open ear at this point for the young blonde. "I... I don't know how it feels. I've been pretty open about my attraction to them since we met, but not too much because I didn't want to scare them away. But... but now they're all falling head over heels for each other and I'm left to either help them or watch...

"I'm just being greedy, I'm sure about that much... but when you've had a crush on someone for two years and they come to you asking for help to hook up with someone else you've had a crush on for two years... it's hard not to feel... feel... I don't even know what."

"Betrayed?" Sawako asked, but Mugi shook her head.

"No... not betrayed. I guess left out. I don't feel upset at Ritsu for liking Mio, and I don't feel upset about her asking for my help. I'm happy to give my help! I want them to be happy together!" Mugi said, looking at Sawako almost defensively, as if being accused of something. Of course she wasn't, but it kind of felt like it. "I want them all to be happy... but I want me to be happy too..."

Sawako thought for a moment about what to say next. She had a few paths to take to cheer her student up, so she decided to take the most optimistic and inspiring one of all. "Mugi-chan, I trust you know what Karma is right?"

Mugi nodded, "Ya, if you do good things, good things happen to you. The balance of life."

"Now I want you to think back for a few minutes with me. From the day you started this group, to now, have you ever once caused any one any trouble whatsoever? No you have not. In fact, I would say from the start of this group to now, you have only provided for the girls in this group and me. I don't even think this group would have been possible had you not joined us, and it definitely couldn't be 'After school Tea Time'. You haven't taken a single thing from anyone in this group, yet you've given more than any of us could ever have hoped for.

"Sure, you're father is the one who owns the villas, but I could beat you every yen I had that it wasn't easy convince him to let 5 teenaged girls stay not only over night in one unsupervised, but also to let them use state of the art, unused equipment. Give yourself enough credit, you've always been the girl who knew her parts and would always go the extra mile to make sure things could happen. You've never once complained, bickered, or done anything to hurt anyone in this group. If this group did even exist without you Mugi, say someone like Azusa joined the year before to give it 4 members... it definitely wouldn't be at the same level it is now. I put a lot of the blame of this club's success on you Mugi-chan, just because you've been a staple."

Mugi listened through the entire thing, but about half way through she started wondering... where did this version of Sawako-sensei come from? This was the sensei part, Mugi guessed. Of course, they had seen glimpses of it in the past but... this was just amazing. Mugi actually felt better, and blushed as Sawako continued to praise her. "Now, after all that you've done for us, and if you help Mio and Ritsu find each other, and help push Azusa and Yui along... think about how much karma is going to owe you. Heck, I'm sure the girls would be more than willing to help you along. The more you help people Mugi, the more help you'll get."

Mugi looked at Sawako, literally at a loss for what to say next. It was impossible. There was nothing Mugi could say to interrupt this, nothing Mugi could do to bring the loneliness back into the situation. She basically blushed and shrugged, a timid smile on her face as if to say "D'aww shucks ma'am, twas nothin'!" Naturally, she wouldn't, but Sawako grinned and smiled.

"Just have patience and you'll get exactly what's coming to you, which I know in my heart is going to be both worth it... and sooner than later." Sawako said, placing her hand on Mugi's shoulder again and smiling brightly. "Just hang in there, and do what you've been doing. I may not be your lover, but I don't mind the looks. They flatter me. And also remember, I may be your sensei, but I'm always willing to talk. I don't know the situation with your parents, but remember, you can always talk with me." With that Mugi nodded and got to her feet. Her make-up was virtually gone after that crying spree she had, so she wiped off what was left with a spare towel.

"I have to get home... but... Thank you so much Sawako-sama." Mugi said, slipping the enduring honorific just to show how grateful she actually was. "And I understand completely, don't worry. Thank you for helping me... I will see you in homeroom tomorrow."

Sawako nodded and waved. "Alright, see you tomorrow Mugi-chan!" As the door shut, the woman simply shook her head. "All the money she could ever need... yet still with more problems than I could shake a stick at. Poor kid..." She said, wiping away a little excess moisture from her shoulder. This shirt was pretty much shot, the remnants of Mugi's make up, as well as every tear the girl could cry were stuck in the fabric.

Sawako didn't leave though. There was still tea, and Mugi always brought good tea and pastries. She sat, kicking her legs back on the table, grateful that Mugi hadn't brought that. No, this table was from Target. Sawako sipped a bit of her tea, looking around the room being illuminated by the setting sun. "If I were," she coughed again, "years younger... who knows...?"

* * *

Mugi walked home alone that day, but for the first time in quite a while, wasn't sad or ashamed in doing so. Sure, she didn't have any make-up on that day, but she certainly did have a boat load more confidence thanks to a certain "teacher". While she had been directly rejected, she surprisingly left the room with more energy than she had had in a while.

Well, actually energy was the wrong word... but more potential. She wasn't upset at all, even without having Sawako as her girlfriend. She made her way home, the sun setting down, and hoped in her limousine, to be whisked off back to her home. The driver wasn't sad that she had run late, as he always waited for her. Today, she had no time to notify him that she would be late, but he brushed it off. He did have to ask though. "Ojou-sama, are you alright?" She had been crying, that much was still clear, but she just gave a happy smile.

"Yes, I just had to have a talk with one of my teachers. Don't worry about me." Mugi said simply, but her warm smile was more than enough to convince the elder gentleman. He pulled away from their pick up spot, and began to drive towards the Kotobuki household, with Mugi looking contently out the window the entire drive home.

Perhaps rejection and a good cry was just the thing she needed. That... and a promise for better things on the horizon.


	6. Chapter 6

Meanwhile, while Mugi was relieving herself of about seven years of built up emotional tension, Mio and Ritsu were walking home just as two best friends do... kinda. Mio was still... trying not to think about Ritsu too much, and Ritsu was still trying to get Mio interested in her. According to Mugi, thus far, it looked positive. The fact that Mio was so... squirmy... well it meant that they had made some sort of progress. And the best part was, the part that Mugi knew meant positive things... Ritsu hadn't actually DONE anything.

Sure, she'd held Mio's hand subconsciously, but that was nothing. Apparently, Mio and Ritsu slept in the same bed at sleep-overs until both girls were around twelve. And albeit a queen size, everyone knew that Mio would subconsciously cling to anything she could find in her sleep. Through all of that, Mugi knew that Ritsu holding her hand wouldn't mean anything. If Mio weren't dazed and confused.

Nothing more than a look, a simple subconscious mistake, and a phone call was all that it took to turn Mio from calm and cool to nervous and distracted. And now... it was time to turn on the burners and finally get things under way. Mugi and Ritsu discussed in private and in secrecy, and they had a code. Now, Ritsu knew exactly what to do.

"Mio!" She shouted back a good ten feet to where Mio was walking, looking at the ground, trying to seem a bit invisible. She didn't want to walk RIGHT next to Ritsu. Nodoka told her not the think about it too much... but that didn't mean she had to be all touchy feely with her best friend. "HEY MIO!!!" Ritsu shouted louder, causing her head to shoot up.

Ritsu was only five feet away, but she loved attention, and she knew that if enough noise was made, she would get attention. She was a drummer after all... and that's exactly what her mind told her to do. And, despite the simplicity of the plan, it worked flawlessly. She had Mio's attention. "What?! Stop yelling, we're in public!" Mio said, darn close to a yell herself.

"I WAS JUST CHECKING TO MAKE SURE YOU..." Mio still wasn't too nervous or dazed to smack Ritsu when she deserved it, and at that point in time, everyone in the area thanked Mio silently as the brunette held the top of her head.

"You don't need to be sarcastic, much less obnoxious. You're almost a college student, and you're almost eighteen. You need to learn to behave."

"Yes mommy..." Ritsu said coyly, despite the searing pain in the top of her head and the splitting headache through out the rest of it. That almost earned a second smack, but Mio knew that in public she could get in trouble for abusing her best friend. It was a misdemeanor... "But seriously, why are you walking so slow?"

"I'm just... I'm tired from school today. I've been doing so much homework and I still didn't get much sleep last night." Still lying! She actually slept very well last night, almost completely dreamless even. ALMOST...

"Alright, but all you have to do is get home and you'll be fine." Ritsu said, having recovered from the blow to the head, "So stop walking so slowly!"

Mio rolled her eyes and continued walking, leaving Ritsu behind her for a moment while continuing on her way home. She didn't know what to say to Ritsu's comment and in a situation like that... she didn't say anything. It was the smart thing to do. If she had said something stupid like, "I'm not walking slowly!", it would have resulted in a stupid and pointless argument.

Besides, even she could feel that she was starting to over think stuff again, and Nodoka was a girl she trusted. Her words sounded weird to her, as if everything sounded off and nervous. She didn't, but she felt like she did.

That left her wondering why she felt that way.

That left her wondering if she was just hearing it in her voice or if she actually did.

Before long... "Hey MIO!" Again, her head shot up and Ritsu was standing a fair distance in front of her. She couldn't even remember being passed. She blushed for a second, being caught embarrassed for the second time in what MIGHT have been five minutes.

"S-sorry!" Mio said, stifling the blush on her face the best she could without actually making any visible movements. That might signify to Ritsu that something was wrong, and that was something Mio did NOT want to do. She hated being called out all together, but the fact that Ritsu was doing it made her feel absolutely terrible. "I'm just... I'm thinking about that Biology test coming up."

"Do what I do!" Ritsu said, waiting for Mio to catch up with her. Mio made her way up standing next to her best friend, and rolled her dark gray eyes.

"You mean begging me to help you?" Mio asked, walking forward once more. Ritsu snickered and shrugged.

"Nah, I only do that for BIG tests. For the little ones I do something else." The brunette said coyly, turning her nose up in the air and grinning smugly.

"Nothing?" Mio 'asked'. Really, she already knew the answer. You didn't know a girl like Ritsu for over twelve years and not get to know exactly what she was going to do. Especially when it came to school work.

"Of course." Mio was right. Ritsu was about as predictable as they came. You know, after you got to know them for such a long time.

Come to think of it... had she known anyone else in her life as long as she had known Ritsu? Outside of her family... no she hadn't. Ritsu had been the only constant in her life since she was... seven? Something like that. With a friend like her, you kind of lost track of the time.

Mio kind of chuckled to herself. She and Ritsu had attended the same primary school for different reasons. Ritsu didn't have the juvenile IQ to actually get into any higher level education primary school. That always made Mio upset, since she knew that although Ritsu didn't have the deduction to problem solve... her best friend could learn at an exceptional rate. Just like Yui. Mio and Mugi seemed brilliant because they retained information, and they were both raised to. Where Ritsu and Yui, they could increase an entire letter grade in one night of studying.

Mio was always sad that people didn't treat Ritsu like the brilliant girl she was. She just... needed some direction and some reminders.

Mio was in the same primary school as Ritsu for one reason. Despite having an IQ of over 130, her parents lacked the funds to send her to any private school. So Ritsu, whom everyone thought was foolish and immature, and Mio, who lacked the money, ended up in the same class as each other. They met, and Mio remembered...

She didn't like Ritsu on the get go. She hated her.

It seems like a person's personality can be predicted based on how they act as a child, just toned down a bit. Children are always extremes of what they'll be when they're adults, unless something crazy or unexpected happens that changes their lives. Point and case... Mio as a little girl never talked, would bury her face in her work, and liked it that way. Ritsu would constantly yell and was always the center of attention, regardless of how she had to get there. She WANTED to be there.

And, she immediately took an interest in Mio. Ritsu saw Mio, and the moment she did, Ritsu darted over and tried to bring Mio into her spotlight. So for a good while, Mio constantly avoided her future best friend, because she hated the spotlight and Ritsu sure knew how to bring it to her. It usually consisted of screaming and pointing out what Mio was doing.

Gradually though, they got to become the best of friends in the entire world, and could trust each other with almost anything. Mio started hating the spotlight a little less, but Ritsu finally caught on that Mio didn't like the spotlight. So, she would stop bringing Mio there. "Mio...?"

It went unheard, Mio was reminiscing about other stuff. Ritsu, tired of screaming at her best friend to pay attention to her, decided to floor the plan. Once again, while Mio was lost in whatever thought, she had slowed her pace and fallen a good distance behind Ritsu. Ritsu had had enough screwing around. She was done, waiting... and she was actually excited.

She took a few steps back towards Mio, all of her nervousness melting away to give her more energy. She began to rethink her next action as Mio moved from one memory to another, a lightly smile on the dark-haired girl's face, but she saw Mugi's face in her head. She was about to make her most aggressive move yet, but Mugi was not ready to let her give up. Just seeing the blonde's face reassured her.

Her palm began to sweat as she bridged the gap with Mio. Though this wouldn't be as bad as what was to come, Ritsu was still a bit nervous about doing it. She was the romantic type, and rarely thought about consequence... but this time there was so much on the line. She had to think about consequence! She didn't want to scare Mio away with this...

But she wouldn't. She knew she wouldn't, in her mind there was no way. So, she completed her motion, reached out, and grabbed Mio's hand.

Mio stopped walking and her head shot up, looking at Ritsu, who looked almost clueless about what to do next. But Ritsu needed an excuse to be holding Mio's hand, and the quick thinker she was, turned around and began towing Mio along. Ritsu was surprised when she actually felt Mio following... her soft hand still wrapped tightly in her own.

Mio was almost in shellshock as Ritsu lead her along, her breathing becoming staggered and slightly disjointed as she felt Ritsu's slightly callused hand lead her through the streets. She didn't like this... once again she felt like the seven year old girl being dragged unwillingly into the spotlight.

But she didn't pull away. Because she didn't want to. For some reason, having Ritsu hold her hand felt really nice. Awkward and almost scary for her, but very nice. Warm, safe... almost like a hug but on a much smaller scale. That only confused her more, but at least she was following orders. She wasn't over thinking it.

Holding hands felt nice, and although it went against her nature to try and pull back and hide the event from everyone around her and Ritsu... holding hands felt nice. That was the plain and simple fact behind it all. So, although Ritsu assumed that Mio was just too shocked about the suddenness and the strangeness of holding hands... Mio was actually just enjoying what frankly felt wonderful to her.

You know, until it became just a little too much for Mio. Though she was trying to focus on how warm Ritsu's hand felt holding hers and how well hers fit into Ritsu's... there was always doubt in her mind. She had to overthink, there was always that element of it. There was people watching, and Mio felt like EVERYONE was watching.

Not only that, but she wasn't supposed to enjoy holding hands this much, especially not with a girl. Maybe she liked it because Ritsu's hand was rougher than Yui's or Mugi's... Maybe she liked it because it was a sign of comfort. Or maybe she liked it because she liked Ritsu.

Mio began to shake slightly as thoughts racked her brain, and finally, she pulled her hand away from Ritsu's. She may have enjoyed the contact while it lasted, and she did her best not to over think it... but inhibition took over and she had to remove her hand. Albeit nice, it was also just too weird for Mio.

However, even with her hand removed room Ritsu's, the strange "nice" feeling didn't leave her. Her hand felt warm... heck her whole body felt warm. Perhaps it was nerves... but she felt really strange. Almost light headed, that kind of feeling she had after flashing the entire school. But this time, embarrassment didn't set in. She looked at Ritsu, a confused look dawned on her visage.

"Wow, you must be feeling weird..." Ritsu said, looking a tad bit bemused by Mio pulling away from her. Ritsu didn't have the insight that Mugi did... she simply lacked the planning. So, when Mio pulled away from her, she didn't know what to think. Was it a good thing? Was it a bad thing?

"I uh... I'm thinking about other stuff..." Mio retorted, not really sure what else to say. 'I was thinking about you... and me...' was not the right thing to say to Ritsu... not right then. Then Ritsu might know something was up. Instead, a blush came on Mio's face, as the warm feeling in her body left and a mixture of shame and embarrassment filled its space.

The blush was a good sign for Ritsu, she took it as a sign that she had done something right... that Mio hadn't been totally turned away by her. She did hold Mio's hand for a good... twenty seconds? Thirty seconds? She didn't remember... she wasn't keeping track. All she knew was that Mio's hands were really soft, and for the first time in a long time, she had held hands. With her crush. "Ohh, well..." Ritsu said, blushing a little herself, "We're almost at your house... I could let you walk on your own..."

"No!" Mio interrupted almost immediately. She quieted down afterwards however, looking into the eyes of a very confused looking Ritsu. She swallowed, enough to make her throat her, but kept her gaze looking with Ritsu. Even Ritsu was blushing slightly at the eye contact. Such beautiful gray eyes... Ritsu marked that down as one of many reasons that she MUST have Mio for herself. "I um... we're so close and it's on your way." Mio finally said, almost sheepishly.

"Ya but... if you just wanna think I could go on ahead. You aren't much of a conversationalist today Mio..." Ritsu said, not really sure where to go. She didn't want to be away from Mio... but Mio was undoubtedly uncomfortable. The pink blush on her face told Ritsu that much. She didn't wanna make Mio TOO uncomfortable. Just in little doses.

That was what Mugi had told her. Don't press it too hard. That's the main thing Mugi had told her.

But Mio, the raven haired girl who was now trying to compose herself, didn't really want to walk home by herself. Even though Ritsu made her insides squirm... she didn't want to have to part. Not just yet. "N-no. It's just a short way away and we have to decide where we're going on Sunday..."

Ritsu nodded and began to walk forward. It took a few more seconds for Mio, but she caught up and the two walked together, side by side. 'I hate this whole stupid situation...' Mio thought in her head while they walked in brief silence, 'But I like her...'

They walked for a good while, trying to think of places that they could go. Bowling was too clichéd, dinner was too formal, but Ritsu also didn't want to be left high and dry on this one. She had to think of something that she could figure out by herself... or something that could even get Mugi involved. Somewhere they could talk and chat while still having Mugi's hand guide the two to their hoped destination, a relationship.

Just as they were about to part... it came to her. "Hey wait... what if we had tea at one of Mugi's tea houses...?"

"You mean... you mean the maid café?" Mio asked, blushing at the thought of it. She had remembered working there.

"Sure! We eat all the food and tea she brings all the time, and it's really good. Maybe with the correct atmosphere it's even better!" Ritsu said, turning to Mio literally at the point where the two usually forked off.

"Uh... ya I guess that could work." Mio said, feeling a mixture of relief and confusion. The relief was from knowing that they wouldn't be in a quiet, secluded area. She felt that in a situation like that, it would only make it awkward and hard to say things. The confusion came from Ritsu actually wanting to go to a café, rather than something more exciting. Granted, they had ruled out most stuff, but Ritsu hadn't even suggested an arcade. Mio ruled it out, maybe Ritsu was thinking of what might appeal to both of them.

Or maybe Ritsu was trying to have her cake and eat it too.

"Alright cool, I'll talk to you on Saturday and we'll figure out details ok?" Ritsu asked, earning a faint nod from Mio. The two girls turned and went off in their own directions, with Ritsu all smiles as soon as Mio wasn't facing her. Mugi's influence would be everywhere in that café, and maybe even Mugi herself. There was no better way.

* * *

"Onee-chan!" A semi-urgent voice said from down stairs, oddly reminding a certain brunette of earlier that morning. Yui looked up from her book, which by some force beyond, she was actually studying out of. It took her a second, her scatter brain once again wracking itself for focus on something new, to recognize the voice as Ui's. She broke her focus completely away from the text and towards what her little sister was saying. "Time for dinner Onee-chan!"

That did it. For a normal person it would be easy to put a book down, one for a certain literature class, and come back to it later. However, Yui was anything but a normal person. She practically shot down the stairs, eager to fill her stomach with food so she might have energy to do... something.

She didn't know what that something was. Her brain was literally scattered constantly, and when entirely focused on one thing like studying, all of her focus was devoted to it. But, when she became distracted from that, all of her focus would leave to go on something new. Food was a primary focus point, one that always consumed a good portion of her subconscious.

And now that all of her focus was directed away from her literature and towards something she actually wanted to think about... the thought of even picking up the book would most likely drift away and not return until someone reminded her. The only reason she had been studying so well was because the moment she got home, her sister had sent her to her room with a snack and the literature book.

Ui, who in the mornings had to literally fight her sister to get her out of bed, didn't need to ask twice about dinner. She knew that when food was mentioned, Yui would race for it. Before she even filled her sister's dish with rice, noddles, and a fish okazu, she knew that Yui would be sitting in her chair, eagerly waiting for the dish her sister had so generously made.

Ui smiled as she turned around with the food, and laid it in front of her sister. "Here you are Onee-chan." She said with a smile, earning a mumbled "Thank you" from her sister before the older girl dove in.

Ui sat across from her sister and smiled, watching Yui carelessly destroy the rice and the side dish of fish okazu, while waiting for the soup to cool. Thankfully, while Yui was eating an actual dinner, she wasn't the talkative type unless she was addressed. This gave Ui a little time to think about what she thought might be her sister's first love.

Now, it's one thing when people like Mugi and Sawako notice that there is relationships a cookin' because they know exactly what to look for. When people like Ui start to notice, it's a different thing entirely.

Now Ui was a nice girl, and she was exceptionally brilliant, but it all goes back to the age old comparison. She had book smarts, not street smarts. She was a realist, not a romantic. Though she could figure out numbers and anatomy and whatever else her teachers put in front of her, she wasn't quite the most socially aware person. But, despite that, she was even able to notice that Azusa and Yui weren't quite acting as friends would normally act.

Even earlier that day, Ui noticed the tell tale signs of something just being a little strange between the two friends. Azusa had brought Yui down from the music room to meet her, so she could take Yui home and hopefully provoke some studying. However, both of them were acting a little bit too... strange for Ui not to notice. When Azusa came down, leading a very downtrodden Yui, she looked triumphant. But also, a little scared, and a little nervous.

Ui didn't know that exactly, but she could tell Azusa was a little on her high horse. The fear and the nervousness were masked by a determined grin. It was clear that she thought she had control over Yui, and from the outside appearance that's what it seemed. Ui failed to notice the finer details, the fact that Azusa wasn't in control at all, the situation of Yui's grades were. She couldn't tell that Yui was doing this, but she could tell that Azusa was a little bit... different.

Her sister didn't look like herself either, not entirely. Sure, a little bit disappointed to have to miss rehearsal. Clearly dreading the idea of study... but Azusa was easily getting her to comply. Azusa didn't have to tug Yui along even... Yui was simply following with a disappointed look. Ui didn't even have that kind of control.

Basically, the blind was leading the blind.

But, though Ui thought that Azusa had had complete control over Yui, if there was such a thing, Yui instantly reversed the situation, as Azusa talked. Azusa had been saying something about wanting Ui to make sure her sister would study, and was in a distraction free environment... while the cleaver upper classmen wrapped her arms around the kouhai's waist.

Ui had seen the two hugging plenty of times. It was like second nature for Yui to want to touch people, like a small child, but never had she seen Azusa actually lose her train of thought at the contact. Azusa had been mid sentence when Yui snuck up, and Ui couldn't even understand what Azusa was saying afterwards. Azusa's speech seemed to become mumbled and disjointed as the hug went on, until she was actually just staring forward vacantly.

Not only that, but Ui could see that Yui's arms were getting tighter as the hug went on. She guessed that she was squeezing the air out of Azusa, and that's what was making it difficult for the younger girl to talk... but that still didn't solve the problem. Ui's mind went into deductive mode, trying to figure out if something was up. Azusa wasn't struggling. Unless Yui snapped her spine, there might have been some struggle. So the hug couldn't have been that tight. Also, Yui was hugging much tighter than usual, a very tight hug that was longer lasting than any others.

Plus the fact that Azusa was blushing and looked almost blissful while in Yui's embrace. Yui looked just about as thrilled. The girls finally parted... but not after making plans for the next day. A study session, to help Yui in literature class. Azusa was going to be comfortable with Ui there, and Yui had pretty much no choice.

While Ui replayed these events in her head, trying to think if Azusa and Yui were actually acting differently, Yui had lost her focus from her meal and was on the soup. Soup was slower to eat, so she could talk in conjunction with eating it. "Ui?" She asked, noticing the strange wandering look on Ui's face. Ui snapped out of her focus almost instantly and looked at her sister.

"Ohh sorry Onee-chan! Did you need anything?" She asked almost urgently looking at Yui's plate to try and see if her big sister needed anything. With her soup bowl still full, it did seem that Yui wasn't quite done eating, so that couldn't have been it.

"No thank you." Yui said, looking down at Ui's plate, which was barely touched. Ui had subconsciously dipped a few bites into her rice while in thought, but for the greater part, it was completely full. "Are you feeling alright?"

At that, Ui blushed. She looked at her full plate and began to eat it, not wanting to worry her sister. "Ohh no, just distracted..." She said, almost having her food spill from her mouth. Though she was very polite at the table, upsetting her sister or making her worry about nothing... it was something that she simply refused to do.

"Ohh?" Yui asked, tilting her head slightly, "About what?"

Ui just knew she was going to ask that, but she had no way to prepare for it. She couldn't answer truthfully, that might have upset Yui if she were wrong, but she couldn't tell a total lie! "I was uh... thinking about Azusa..."

Yui perked up at hearing this, almost spilling a spoonful of soup all over herself. "Ohh, Azu-nyan?" She asked with a small smile on her face, a look that Ui knew meant "hope". Yui couldn't think of what else to say, so she gave the first thing that came to her mind. "She's pretty isn't she?"

Ui blushed at this comment, which basically confirmed every bit of her suspicion that something might be going on. Sure, it was something that girl's might say to each other, compliments were compliments... but two things were off. A; The "odd" event in the hall just earlier that day, and B; Yui didn't really say things like that. Cute, yes, but Ui had never heard "pretty" come from her sister. Especially not about a peer.

"Uhh... sure." Ui said, still blushing as she picked up her sister's dishes and placed them in the sink. She didn't really know how to respond to that, especially not after making the social revelation of her life time. There was something going on between Yui and Azusa, and she knew that. The fact that there may actually be drama in her life, and drama with her best friend and her sister none the less... it was exciting! Now she knew why dramas on TV were so successful!

"And she's so smart! She even promised to help me study tomorrow!"

"Ya I know! I'm gonna be there too! It's a group study session!" Ui chirped. That kind of excited her as well; maybe she would see something awesome! Something that she could talk with Jun about via text message... something that she could gossip about. She wasn't much of a gossip, but the whole idea excited her. The idea that even with her straight A's, and her good girl personality... she might get some excitement in her life. Like an American teenager!

"Ohh ya..." Yui said, seemingly having forgotten that her little sister would be there. She wasn't disappointed, far from it, she'd simply forgotten. Ui knew that, and didn't take offense in the slightest. "Say, have you ever seen Azusa's eyes? They're really pretty..."

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I have the next chapter complete, but I like watching you guys squirm. It gets more limelight for each individual chapter if I space them out slightly, and I get more traffic and reviews if I don't post two chapters at the same time. That means more constructive criticism and more improvement in future chapters.

Review please! If I haven't thanked you for your reviews yet... Thank you!


	7. Chapter 7

Azusa hardly slept at all the beautiful Friday night. She was far too eager to join her best friend and Yui for their next day study session of the book they had been reading in literature but a few weeks ago. Her home was quiet, as her parents mostly kept to themselves, and the house was silent most of the time. That silence just made waiting for the meeting worse for the poor girl.

She wasn't lonely, anything but, since she knew that she could talk on the phone with any of her friends to pass the time, but she couldn't bring herself to call anyone or do anything that wasn't related to the next day. She picked out an outfit... well three outfits, she would probably decide the next morning. She took down a note card for the book so her Senpai would have something to go off while studying. She even stopped at a cake shop on her way home, just to make sure there was ample nourishment. She wanted the study session to be perfect.

Morning didn't come quick enough. It had been like waiting for Christmas as a 5 year old on amphetamines. It just wouldn't come, until Azusa heard her alarm go off. She hadn't even realized she had been unconscious, and she couldn't recall when. The last time she looked at the clock it said "4 AM" in its big florescent numbers. Next thing she knew, it was breaking her from sleep. She knew, it was probably around eight, which meant it was time to get up.

Despite only getting the sliver of sleep, she was completely awake and completely alert. She took her shower and got ready for the morning and day with her Senpai without struggle, without her eyes drooping or burning... as if she had slept through winter. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, she ate a small breakfast, just incase Ui had prepared something for them at the study group, and thought about the day.

She hadn't been so excited for something since the Freshmen Orientation that year, and even that was a stretch. She didn't know why, though Mugi did, but she couldn't get her mind off of Yui. It seemed like everything she did, she also imagined Yui doing right along with her. Eating breakfast, getting out of bed, brushing her hair... even bathing. That was normal right? It was Japan... girls showered together all the time... right?

She didn't waste time, she reduced her breakfast considerably, eating nothing more than a piece of toast and some cereal. She wanted to hurry, though was unsure why she wanted to hurry. She still had to get dressed in one of her outfits, true, but she still had hours. It didn't take that long to change out of PJ's and into something else, unless it was a wedding dress.

Though, she was wise to save herself some time. She tried on the first outfit, a pair of jeans and a cute tee-shirt... and she didn't like it one bit. Well, she liked it... but it just didn't seem nice enough. So, she threw it away, and put on her second. A skirt, and a slightly more contemporary tee-shirt. It was ok... but still not what she was looking for.

Not that she knew what she was looking for at all.

The second was stripped off, and the third was thrown on. A simple skirt, kind of like her school uniform, as well as a casual blouse. She didn't think it was bad either, but still...

She spent a good while bouncing from outfit one, to two, to three, and back to one again. She even tried mix matching them, which gave her little result other than liking each outfit a little less. She finally settled on the third outfit, which looked very similar to her school uniform. Might as well stick with what Yui was used to right?

Azusa looked at her watch, and discovered that she REALLY had to get a move on. Yui lived a mile or so away, and Azusa would be walking. Never once in her life did she remember spending that much time dressing. She passed it off as nothing more than wanting to make Yui happy, when in the clear reality... she was trying to impress.

She started off on her trip through town, the distance to her Senpai's house. For some reason, that was all that mattered. She had all her prepared supplies for the study session with her, as well as her copy of Taketori Monogatari, a book about a Japanese shining princess, the book that Yui's grade in the class and time with Azusa was riding on. Despite Azusa being distracted by something as simple as Yui's presence... she would NOT forget about studying. She wasn't scatter brained, and she knew what to stay focused on.

And strangely enough, despite her many similarities to Mio-Senpai, she wasn't nervous at all about this. Sure, the thought had run to her head that she could be... "that way" with Yui, she had already run through that situation through her head with Mio... and she was perfectly fine with it. No use questioning the signs? She remembered a saying she heard in a book once... "I stay alive because I believe what I see. The guys who die at forty, more often than not, they didn't believe what they were seeing." And Azusa knew perfectly well what she was seeing.

But, to her, this wasn't a date or a romantic encounter at all. Not nearly as much as their time alone in the music room might have been the Thursday prior. This was just a meeting between friends. Nothing more, nothing less... probably. It was Yui...

Azusa rode her train of thought wherever it took her as she walked... and walked... and walked. She didn't notice when she passed right in front of the Hirasawa residence and continued walking down the street, lost in her mind. She hadn't been to Yui's house many times, so it was understandable, but the irony was that she was actually thinking about the INSIDE of Yui's house right as she passed. Though, it didn't take long. A voice shouted out to her almost right after she passed.

"Azu-nyan!" The voice of her Senpai shouted, from what sounded like a distance. What confused Azusa was that she felt Yui hugging her almost immediately after she heard her voice... but her voice sounded such a far way away! How fast did Yui hurry to hug her Azu-nyan?

The speed of hug almost made it feel like a tackle, so Yui had to be moving pretty quick. Azusa almost got the wind knocked out of her, but was happy just to feel Yui's warm embrace. Azusa turned her head to see a bunch of messy brown hair, and some pink pajama's underneath, hugging her stomach tightly in the middle of the street. "Morning Yui-Senpai." She said, not really sure what else to do. She could return the hug... but Yui was literally hugging her waist. It would have been awkward.

Instead, Yui released the hug, brimming with excitement. Her eyes were aglow with excitement, and of course... joy. 'She's like a puppy...' Azusa thought, looking into those huge brown eyes, 'Like a puppy eyeing her toy...' Her mind silenced for a second after that analogy... and a short moment later, a blush consumed Azusa's face. One that rivaled all others Yui had seen. Had she really just compared herself to a "toy"? Yui's "toy" nonetheless!?

Yui, beaming straight at Azusa, noticed the extreme blush, and the look of embarrassment. Yui, being herself, poked Azusa's cheek. "Are you ok?" She asked light-heartedly, with but a slight undertone of confusion. She knew that Azusa was ok with her whole heart, that blush was an onset of sudden embarrassment. She had seen it on Mio a thousand times.

Azusa played the innocent card, "Ohh ya... I'm ok..." She said, looking down slightly and focusing every bit of her person to drowning the blush. The kind of blush so rapid you think your nose will actually bleed from it. "Let's go in ok?" She asked a few moments later, now with only a small blush on her face.

Yui nodded and the two went off in the direction of Hirasawa household. Azusa had since composed herself, and was now back in the same state she was while walking over... but the "toy" analogy stuck in the back of her head. It would stay there for a very long time.

"Welcome Azusa-chan!" Ui chirped as soon as her sister and best friend entered. Even though there was nothing more than a ghost left of the blush, Ui still took notice of it and giggled slightly as Azusa set her stuff down and Yui waved back. What had those two been doing? Yui was happier than she had been whilst waiting at the window for her "Azu-nyan", and Azusa was blushing something terrible.

Thus, Ui's mind took her to a different reality. What had Yui done? A hug? A kiss?! Ui had to know! And she would, in time. Perhaps if she could provoke the action...

Little did she know it had been nothing more than a slightly perverse thought. However, she didn't know that... and she was determined to push these two to do whatever had happened outside again. No matter what it took! Even if it meant fabricating the reality in her own mind, it would happen!

"Ohh hey Ui!" Azusa said after removing her shoes, breaking a now VERY dedicated girl from her scheming. That was fine; Ui knew it wouldn't be very difficult. She didn't need to see exactly what had happened on the street, but something that would make Yui happy and make Azusa blush. To Ui, that meant romance. "Well then... should we head upstairs and start?"

Yui went right back to how she had been before, wistful and downtrodden. Ui nodded her head and smiled, "Yes of course!" The chipper younger sister said, a smile on her face. "Just let me get the snacks together, and I'll meet you guys upstairs in a few..." The cleaver young female made her way into the kitchen, and began preparing a snack tray... as SLOWLY as she possibly could.

Azusa nodded, as Ui was never the type to take too long. You know, unless Ui was trying to take too long. She headed up stairs, Yui sluggishly making her way behind her, her demeanor pretty much exactly the same, only barely lightened by the promise a few minutes alone with Azusa... and of course, snacks.

Yui lead the way for the last part of it, Azusa hadn't ever really been in the girl's room before. She got inside and immediately looked around, amazed by the organization and cleanliness of the space. It was Yui they were talking about... and for every Yui, there was an Ui right behind her to make sure everything was right for the girl. This included cleaning up while Yui was at band practices. Not that Yui was uncleanly, Azusa didn't think that at all... Yui just struck her as the kind of girl who wouldn't clean her room unless she had either nothing else to do, or it was incredibly messy.

Ui however, she would probably clean Yui's room after school, after finishing her homework, and while waiting for Yui to come home from band practice. That was just the kind of girl Ui Hirasawa was.

While Azusa did a brief inspection of Yui's room, Yui took advantage of the distraction to slip away to somewhere more secret. Just because she dreaded studying didn't mean she couldn't have fun with her Azu-nyan. She slipped away into her most secret hiding ground, and waited for Azusa to walk into just the right place.

Azusa took her time getting there however, looking over the normal room with a keen eye. It was cleaner than hers... perhaps she should have Ui over some time just to see if she could provoke some cleaning out of her best friend. The fact that she did such an acceptable job with Yui's room... it made her want to see what wonders she could work on Azusa's own.

She walked around for a few minutes, before realizing that there was studying to be done! Her Yui was at risk after all! Her companionship in her 3rd year level course. She picked up her book, inspiration lighting up her face as she prepared to redeem the older girl's grade. It was a study session after all... though at that point in time, she was the only person in that house that actually thought so.

She got her book, and her note book filled with helpful guides that she had drawn out, and put it on the desk. "Alright!" She said loudly, thinking she might have actually been talking to someone. "Let's get start... ed..." She said, looking around the calm and seemingly empty room. Her head fell in shame, as she realized that Yui may very well have escaped.

"Yui?" The smaller girl asked the room, seeing if she could get any sort of response from her Senpai. There was a small pause, but nothing came. "Yui?!" She asked again, loudly enough for Ui to hear it down in the kitchen. Neither brunette, the one hiding nor the one in the kitchen preparing snacks in the slowest way possible took any notice at all. Azusa didn't give up though. Yui couldn't have gotten far, she would have been stopped by a certain younger sister.

So, Azusa left the desk in which they were supposed to be studying, and walked around the room. She hadn't heard the door open, and it was still closed... Yui had to be in here. She walked around, occasionally trying to convince her Senpai to come out of hiding... but to no avail at all.

In the mean time, while Azusa quested for her study buddy upstairs, Ui had finished making the snacks. It was a simple plate of nothing more than some cereal bars, fruit, and some of Azusa's cake cut into slices. However... she still wanted stuff to happen. Damn it, she would not let stuff not happen! Something fishy was going to happen! She would ensure it!

She slowly and stealthily made her way up the stairs, and got right next to the door, putting her ear against it. If something was going on... she would be right there to hear it. It made her excited, spying on her older sister and her best friend like this. It was innocent enough of course, she wasn't doing anything wrong... but it was fun knowing that she could hear everything going on. This was the closest the smaller girl had come to breaking the rules since... ever.

She only had to "spy" for a short while though, before a sharp scream ripped through the household, along with the sound of someone hitting the floor. Her ear was ringing from being pressed up against the door while the shriek echoed through the house. However, she didn't want to run in just yet. Instead, she switched to her other ear to listen to what the two might have been saying.

Azusa was not really in a talking mood at the moment though... as right now she had about 110 pounds of brunette lying on top of her. The scream was of course, from her, as she had walked right into the sweet spot. Yui, being the cleaver and "original" girl she was, leaped out of the closet and pounced onto her Azu-nyan, causing both to fall to the floor. However, she was still hugging onto the Kouhai with her all might, rubbing her head against the younger girl.

Azusa looked down at Yui, who had her locked in the tightest hug she had ever been in, unsure of what to do next. Yui wasn't light, definitely not heavy, but the weight she should be... which was heavy! She couldn't really say anything... she wasn't sure what she would say. She didn't really want to end the hug... especially since Yui felt so warm, and the pressure of the older girl's head against her upper chest... it only made the hug that much better.

While Azusa debated on what to do next, and Yui rubbed her head against the girl, Ui panicked slightly. She may have just missed it! With some debating, she finally opened the door, holding the snacks and trying to act as nonchalant as possible. "Hey guys!" She said as she walked in, only to turn and see Azusa on the floor, with Yui on top of her, hugging as tight as she possibly could. Ui, unsure of what to do and slightly taken aback by the scene before her, blushed.

Azusa only took faint notice of Ui standing on the other side of the room. Yui didn't acknowledge her sister at all however, trapped in a state of bliss and comfort. Ui just watched, getting exactly the show that she had hoped for. She didn't mind not getting any attention, this was far better than waiting in the hall.

Finally however, Yui broke the hug and got on up on all fours... directly over Azusa. She looked into Azusa eyes, her messy brown hair hanging and shading her face from Ui. Azusa blushed slightly, looking up into the shaded face of Yui. Yui spoke finally, breaking the minutes' long silence between the two. "Are you ok Azu-nyan?" She asked tenderly, recalling that when she tackled her... both girls had hit the ground pretty hard.

Azusa thought about it for a moment, a faint headache in her head from hitting the ground. She nodded slightly, still looking into Yui's eyes. "Ya... I'm... I'm fine. Just hit my head a little bit..."

Yui's response was... unexpected. Even based on Yui being Yui, it was unexpected what came next. Instead of an audible reply, Yui simply leaned down and pressed her lips against Azusa's forehead. She held them there, and at some point during it, Azusa's lower lip began to tremble from the sheer confusion and enjoyment from the gesture. Yui pulled away after what felt like ages to the two, but was really only a second or two.

Yui, upon pulling away from the kiss, simply smiled down at Azusa. "Better?" She asked, but Azusa found response impossible. She was about as red as she could possibly be in a natural state, and her eyes were wider than they had ever been. She looked in Yui's eyes deeply, her nose close to bleeding. Her tongue was limp, and her feet were tingling. After a good while, Yui still looking directly at her, she nodded weakly.

"Good." Yui said calmly, before she lowered herself and gave Azusa another light hug, before getting back to her feet. Azusa was... effectively stuck to the ground. Her feet and legs felt like lead, and her stomach was swimming with pleasure and her head was feeling not only much better, but ready to hemorrhage from the amount of blood rushing to her face. So, instead of trying to get to her feet, she simply laid there and let her nerves calm themselves.

Ui was... slightly dumbstruck by the event as well. Sure, she kind of understood where the kiss had come from... as her parents always kissed her "boo-boos" to make them feel better. Heck, Yui had kissed her own forehead when she had a headache, but there was something different about that kiss. Yui had held the kiss way longer, it hadn't been the caring pecks that she got when she had headaches... it was an actual kiss.

And the hugs were way tighter than Ui had ever seen. Heck, she herself had only been hugged by her sister that before a few times... like when she came out of the hospital or came home from a 2 week long trip with her parents. That hug was one that showed Yui REALLY caring about that person... someone she didn't want to lose. Ever.

Now, Ui didn't need to think about it much further than that. Yui cared about Azusa on a high level, that much was clear to her, and the kiss wasn't the kind of kiss you gave to your family. Ui knew her sister better than anyone, and she knew that with those two things combined... Azusa wasn't like Yui's other friends. And she could tell that by looking at Azusa, taking note of the content and confusion... Azusa felt about the same way. That was an iffy assumption, considering she didn't know Azusa as well as her sister... but Azusa's history gave light to the revelation.

After all, Azusa had made a cake for her "Mio-Senpai", and although insisting on it being for the entire group for their help... Ui knew it was for Mio. Now, perhaps Azusa's interest had shifted from Mio to Yui. Yui did like to touch a lot, like a small child needing almost constant attention, and Azusa was and always had been her favorite person to get that physical attention from. And, to give that attention to. Perhaps, just perhaps, Yui's obsession with Azusa had rubbed off.

Azusa finally managed to let all the blood drain from her face, and that helped to get the blood back into her feet and legs. She got to a sitting position, and then completely standing... still unsure of what to think of the whole thing. It was a strange, sporadic thing for Yui to do, and boy did it faze her worse than before. She had just been kissed, and it was different than before. The two main differences were the length, and location of the kiss. It was longer, yes... but it was different from before.

It was on bare skin, not hair. And... Yui forgot to say "friendship kiss" afterwards. Had that trademark saying been tagged before or after the kiss, it wouldn't have been nearly as... confusing. Not only that, but the position Yui was in while she kissed... it was one step away from being erotic. And why had she not resisted it at all?

No matter the excuses she made against it, telling herself things like "It was unexpected...", Azusa knew that it was because she wanted it. It wasn't unwelcome, just as the one from earlier; it was everything she had hoped for. Yui's lips were soft, VERY soft, and the length of the kiss felt just right to Azusa. She took a deep breath, no point in not believing what you're seeing right?

She got to her feet and looked at Ui, was clearly lost in though, and Yui, who was sitting at the desk, looking through the pages of notes that Azusa had drawn up. Somehow, Yui seemed unfazed by the encounter whatsoever, except for a small aura of pride surrounding her. She took a moment to compose herself, before making her way over to the desk and sitting down next to Yui. The two then began their study session, having twiddled away a good fifteen minutes sitting there and simply thinking about the event.

Ui joined them a few moments later, content with what she had seen, and what she had deducted. She concluded in her mind that there was nothing to worry about. Even if Azusa and Yui did end up hooking up, it would be nothing to worry about. Azusa was trustworthy, a good friend, and would not let Yui down on anything. Smart, helpful, everything Yui could need. And Ui knew that Yui would work for Azusa as well. Light hearted, fun, touchy, and full of love.

Over the remaining course of the day and into the night, they group made their way through the ancient book, which was mostly review for Azusa and Ui, but they were happy to do it all the same. Ui had gotten an A on her exam, amazingly, and even Azusa learned some stuff to improve her score. Both Yui and Azusa decided to retake the test, Yui because she had to, and Azusa because she wanted to get a better grade.

As the sun began to set, the girls had finished off all of the key elements of the book, as well as the parts they knew would be on the retake. Before any of them even knew it, it was already sunset. They decided to call it a night for studying, Yui had what she needed to get above a seven percent, and hopefully stay in the class. Azusa wanted so desperately to ask to stay the night, but her parents had made it a strict rule that she be home by dark.

She grabbed her stuff, left the note cards necessary for Yui to look over before Monday, and made her way out. "Bye Azusa-chan!" Ui said with a smile as the three departed, hugging her lightly.

"I'll see you later Ui!" Azusa said formally, hugging lightly as well. She turned to Yui and smiled, earning a smile back from Yui before a tight hug. Yui, full of surprises today, pulled Azusa into the hug, on arm behind her back, and on arm on the back of her head. Azusa, once again, didn't know what to make if this new style of hug. She knew she had seen it somewhere... movies. Romances, dramas, etc.

She returned the hug, and let her head rest against the crook of Yui's neck. "Thank you for the help today Azu-nyan..." Yui cooed, making the slightly smaller girl smile.

"Thank you too Yui-senpai..." Azusa said absentmindedly, not really sure what she was thanking her Senpai for. The company? Sure. The kiss? Yup. Everything she guessed. She was thanking Yui for everything. "I'll talk to you later." She said, pulling away from the hug and looking into the brunette's eyes.

Yui's eyes glowed in the calm dusk light, her eyes ablaze with a smile. She wasn't smiling herself, but it was the kind of smile where you could see it in someone's eyes. The kind of smile where they were so happy, only their eyes could show it. Obviously, Yui had gotten everything out of the day that she wanted to. She had gotten to spend time with Azusa, actually touch her lips to Azusa's skin, and had all the materials she needed to stay in the same class.

Azusa offered both girls one final wave before turning and leaving the property, smiling from ear to ear the entire walk home. She was confused, but unlike another raven haired girl, her confusion was easy to solve. Unlike her Mio-senpai, she believed what she saw and what she felt. Now she knew... and that was always the hardest step to take.

* * *

* * *

Hope you enjoyed the first MAJOR point in Azusa and Yui's relationship. The others were minor but this one... MAJOR! As you can see.

Hope you liked it. Next chapter will be Mio/Ritsu, or the preparation there of.

Please leave a review!


	8. Chapter 8

Mugi wasn't woken in the normal fashion she was used to, and that was an alarm clock. No, rather it was her phone frantically and loudly vibrating on the top of her dresser in but the wee hours of the morning. She, still tired, didn't really want to talk on the phone. She ignored it the first time, and the second time... but finally managed to get up to a sitting position after this person, who ever they may be, tried calling her for the third time in a row. She picked up her phone, still kinda drowsy from being woken up BEFORE her alarm was set to ring, and brushed a messy strand of blonde hair out of her eyes to look at the caller ID.

Ricchan. Who else? Even with sleep trodden eyes, Mugi could clearly see that Ritsu was the girl calling her so early, which appeared to be right around sun rise. Who gets up at the same time as the sun on a Sunday?! Well... Mugi more often than not actually.

Her family, being her family, liked to make her run frantic on every day off she had, greeting people, meeting people, presenting herself to relatives. Her parents took pride in her and her successes in school thus far, and it seemed to her that their acquaintances liked to come and go at all hours of the day, especially on weekends.

But this Sunday, she had intended to sleep late! Eight in the morning... nine in the morning... maybe even ten in the morning! She had only some afternoon stuff to do that day, and wanted to get as much sleep as she could for it. Nothing important, but stuff nonetheless. And Ritsu had broken that plan, shattered it to a million pieces.

Mugi however, instead of being stubborn as many would be, didn't have a bit of anger inside of her. She calmly flipped the phone open, "Good morning Ricchan!" She said, her chipper tone barely even affected by the early wake up.

"Hey Mugi-chan!" Ritsu said from the other end, sounding just a bit excited. "So... I've got that thing with Mio today..."

"Ya, you told me Thursday night that you had scheduled a 'date' with her! Did you ever decide where you were going?" By this point in the conversation, Mugi was pretty much bright eyed and bushy tailed, completely enthralled with whatever plan Ritsu may have come up with. Sleep lost importance almost instantly when her friends were involved.

"Ya... about that..." Ritsu said, her tone inflective of... something. Mugi just couldn't put her finger on it. Though, she pretty much knew, based on Ritsu's past, that the brunette probably had some news. That was the tone she liked to use when Nodoka chided the group about not turning in whatever form... "I was wondering if you could help me out here..."

Mugi of course, had no trouble in her response. "Yes!" Came out with no hesitation, "What do you need?"

"Well... we decided that going to a café would be the best option here..." Ritsu said calmly, pretty sure Mugi already knew what she had in store. Mugi was a bright girl after all; it didn't take much hinting before she figured it out. "We decided it would be a good, public, professional atmosphere... and I kinda... MAYBE thought that you could be there."

Mugi was taken aback by this! She was needed! "S-Sure!" She stuttered, excitement deterring her speech. She had never expected to get to go on their date WITH them, even if as a spy. Now she could be there first hand, to see exactly what was happening... and exactly how it happened! And if there was anything juicy...

"It's not too much trouble? I mean... I know it's kinda late notice..." And yes, the morning of an event is kind of a late notice for some people, especially those as busy as Mugi... but not Mugi. As soon as she hung up the phone, all of her appointments for the day would be off the calendar!

"No! I would love to be there!" Mugi said almost instantly. "When? Which café?" The blonde never ceased to amaze Ritsu.

"Umm... we'll just say the same café we went to last time. For the exercise with Mio." The crafty brunette replied. She hoped that would be ok, it seemed like it might work better if Mugi could call the shots, even with the staff. Though... she had an inkling that no matter what café they chose... Mugi could call the shots. No one aside from the blonde knew exactly HOW rich she was. "We decided to just meet at noon."

"Sounds great!" Mugi said "Now..." They began chatting. For the next couple of minutes, they discussed what Ritsu could do. It wasn't hard, Mugi knew exactly how to manipulate Mio into at least admitting some sort of attraction to Ritsu, or females in general, and how Ritsu might be able to flatter her. It wouldn't be easy to get Mio to openly say it, and Mio wouldn't say it plainly. It would be buried in discussion, not just an open admittance to it. No, it would be tricky... but Mugi knew just how to do it.

The two girls hung up after saying their good-byes. Mugi went to work canceling her appointments that afternoon, this took priority. Ritsu... she was unsure what to do. She hadn't slept much the night prior, for obvious reasons. When she was nervous about something, which didn't happen too often mind you, her brain focused on that one thing. This made simple things like sleep next to impossible.

She was torn between sleeping and getting ready for the day's events. It was early, as the moment Ritsu realized she had forgotten to tell Mugi, she instantly called... so there was time to sleep. However, if she spent more time getting ready, she could put more time into finishing touches on her appearance and hopefully impress Mio, if only just a little bit.

However, it didn't take much debating before Ritsu realized the best option. Sleep. Not only because she was tired... but because she didn't want to let Mio in on the fact that something might be wrong. The entire time Mugi and Ritsu had been manipulating romance, Ritsu had not once faltered or stirred... not while in front of Mio at least. No, as far as Mio knew, Ritsu was acting completely normal.

And if Mio realized that Ritsu was all gussied up... it might make her realize that something was up. Mio was just as smart as Mugi, which is why Ritsu had to play her cards so carefully. Mugi made it very clear that Mio would be very easy to scare off, and if Mio realized that Ritsu was acting even the slightest bit differently, the plan may go down the tubes. Sure, holding hands was a bit odd considering their age, but Mio was so wrapped up in thought it didn't matter. But appearances... they were the first thing you noticed.

So, without any other thought behind it, Ritsu collapsed onto her mattress, setting an alarm so she would have time to get ready and get to the café. She would never miss this, not for the world. Because Mio was, at least at that point in time, the only thing she honestly cared about. Her family, sure, but she already had that. She didn't have a Mio... and she wanted one.

* * *

Unlike her best friend, Mio never had any trouble sleeping. She did her best to maintain a normal sleeping schedule, and staying up past midnight and napping in the middle of the day were nearly unheard of for her. She was the more responsible of the two girls, and was often considered a "bummer" at sleep-overs when she and Ritsu were kids. Probably because she was asleep by 11 PM, a habit she had yet to break.

However, a good night sleep can leave way for other things. While Ritsu was lying awake, tossing and turning in her pillows, wondering and waiting for the next day like a kid on Christmas Eve... Mio was sleeping not so sounding. She did something through the night that she had never done ever before.

She thought... in her sleep. Rather than dreaming like a normal person, her mind actually went into overdrive and thought about things while she slept, and upon waking she actually remembered. Her thoughts were cloudy though, no one would expect her to actually remember the greater majority of it, but she did have a fairly solid recollection of a few things. Her suppressed thoughts from the day prior swimming back into her head, full force. Sure, Nodoka had told her not to "over think it", but Mio's subconscious didn't get the message.

But, the odd thing about sleeping thinking is that it's far more vivid than normal, conscious thinking. When Mio thought normally, especially about events, she had fleeting images in her mind, ones that were impossible to really see. In sleep, those images stayed with her. Her imagination painted a picture that she could follow. Amazingly, the girl got quite a bit of thinking done. Not enough to REALLY change anything, but enough to open up a few doorways.

Mio barely even stirred as she came closer to consciousness, her mind still thinking about Ritsu with every fiber of its being. She had envisioned Ritsu. The girl who had changed EVERYTHING between them in just a few days, maybe inadvertently, maybe not. She felt something warm pressing against her, her arms wrapped tightly around whatever this thing was, but it was large. It was just odd enough of a sensation for her to open her eyes. She saw Ritsu. She realized she was hugging Ritsu. That Ritsu was lying right next to her.

Then she fell out of bed.

After scrambling across the room in a half frightened, half confused stupor, she turned back to the bed. It took her a second, her sleep heavy eyes still blurry in her dimly lit room. However, she realized almost instantly that her frantic escape had been for no reason. She took a few deep breaths, got to her feet, and walked over to the bed where "Ritsu" had been lying.

She realized what had happened. Instead of looking at Ritsu, she was looking at the body pillow that she often slept with, and where her clinging habit had most likely originated from. She had probably hugged the pillow all night long, and thus, it was warm from her body heat. The only reason she had seen Ritsu was because she had been thinking about her all night, and still was.

She took another deep breath, just a mistake. An easy one to make? Not really. But when her mind had been wrapped solely around that one person, that one subject, for the last 48 hours... it was easier to make than many might think. Mio decided at that very moment, as she pulled the covers up over the body pillow, that she would occupy her thoughts with Ritsu. For two reasons. First, because the brief hallucination made her think she might be losing her mind, not something she wanted to focus on on top of everything else. Second, because when you had a problem, you thought about it until you solved it.

Despite how sick to her stomach it made her, her method to beating this problem was to tackle it head on. Prime Ministers and diplomats didn't solve problems by not over-thinking it! They over thought it until they had picked apart every individual option for every situation. Mio wasn't the kind of girl who would just go with the flow, believe what she saw, and leave everything unquestioned. That just wasn't her style.

And, she didn't even want to entertain the thought of going insane wracking her brain trying to repress the apprehension. Better to give herself a headache thinking about the possibility of a... an attraction to her best friend... than end up in a padded cell batting away at hallucinations. Sure, that was an exaggeration, but it was enough motivation for Mio.

Thus, she began getting ready. She knew she had a meeting with Ritsu this afternoon, and that would complicate her thinking situation slightly. Nodoka's words hadn't fallen on deaf ears. There was one thing that Mio wasn't going to over think, and that was emotion. She needed a constant, and as sporadic as her emotions could be, especially right now, they were going to have to be her constant. The first thing she had to figure out was... well... if she was attracted to Ritsu.

If she was attracted to girls period. If not Ritsu, than anyone. They were going to a maid café, and as chauvinistic as it seemed, it might just be the very thing that would bring Mio to her revelation. A shove in the right direction if anything, though she knew... if it truly was an attraction... it would be Ritsu. In the end, hadn't she been the one to start all of this?

Mio didn't know what it was like to realize that you were lesbian or bisexual, as you only made that realization once, and she wasn't sure if she had or not. It wasn't something she was excited for, despite homosexuality and bisexuality being very widely accepted culturally through the history of Japan. It just felt like it was something that she would never have had to worry about. But here she was... and it wasn't just some random girl... it was Ritsu. Her best friend in the whole world. Not just another pretty face... a person who she knew more about than almost anyone else in the entire world. That's what helped to make it more difficult. Why she was so reluctant to just jump in to the whole situation. Why she couldn't just accept it as fate, and why she had to think about it so much.

She didn't want to lose her best friend. That was the plain truth of it, and a homosexual attraction to Ritsu might completely ruin that. And that might ruin the Keion club. And then Mio would be all by herself. Her and her strange perverse fan-club. She didn't know how she would get through something like that. Ritsu was her rock. The person would she could go to, who she could talk with –almost- anything about. College was gonna scary enough, though she planned to go to whatever school Ritsu was. Or at least get an apartment with her. She needed a rock.

There were too many consequences, and that's why Mio fought the idea that she might be... the "G-word" tooth and nail. Had it been anyone else... maybe she would have been a little more honest with herself... but this was Ritsu.

And the facts were getting harder to fight.

Mio didn't know what to make of things any more, as she prepared for her day and ate out of a small bowl of cereal. She didn't even know what it was. Had she had some sex dream about Ritsu, albeit more traumatic for the fragile girl, at least it would have given her a clear direction. Then she would know EXACTLY what was bothering her. Without some sort of blatant signal like that... she didn't even know why Ritsu was in her head constantly.

Maybe it was just piling together with other things. Fear for her own sexuality; fear for losing her best friend... and of course, the possibility of being attracted to her best friend. That was what had started all of this. Ever since Thursday morning she had guessed, when Nodoka pointed out that what had happened was oddly similar to a different event. "...staring at my crush..." was what Nodoka had said, and every minute of Mio's life... it felt like more and more like the truth.

But, she didn't even know what a homosexual attraction felt like. Hell, at this point in her life, she wasn't even sure she knew what a "normal" attraction felt like. She hadn't been around many boys. Not since before secondary school anyways, and she had never had some major crush. Not once in her life had she been head over heels. Maybe because guys weren't her thing...

As she finished her cereal, she simply pushed the bowl to the side and laid her head on the table. It was still well early, but she couldn't have stayed in bed... not after what had happened. She had to think of something... she had no answers. Her only constant was a slew of emotions she could barely remember, and the only one she was feeling right now was frustration. Frustration that she couldn't figure this out. That she was stuck in a haze of events, and didn't have anything to help her through it. Hell, even sleep didn't give her a relief from the situation at hand.

But she knew something that might. The idea hit her like a bomb while her head was down on the table. She knew one place where she could go, a place she KNEW she could go, to get an answer, or at least a little guidance out of the heavy fog of utter confusion. No, it was not the internet. That may have been a semi reliable source for reports in classes, but this was not something she was willing to wait for. She needed answers. Immediately.

She went back up stairs, almost urgently, as if she was about to put out a fire or save a child from falling out the window. Immediately, she reached for her phone. She instantly flipped it open and went to her contact list. Past all letters... to the last on her contact list. Under "T", Mio didn't really like using unnecessary nicknames, regardless of how adorable they were. She only had one name under "T"... her big book of answers.

* * *

When the phone rang, it almost made Tsumugi jump. She had just finished canceling all of her appointments and taking a quick shower, and she wasn't expecting it. However, the buzz of her cell phone didn't always mean a good thing, and she almost expected it to be her father or a family friend calling back to see if she could perhaps make it today, if she might change her mind.

Her eyes lit up with a gleeful fire, and her stomach swam with a strange nervousness, as she realized it was Mio calling. That name on the caller ID made her even more excited than she had been when Ritsu called. After all, how often did she get to talk with Mio out of school? And especially now! Now that Ritsu had been putting the discreet moves on Mio, everything was different. Mio had been acting differently, Mugi knew that... and now a phone call!

The excited, neigh, euphoric blonde took a few quick deep breaths to calm herself, she was having too much fun with this, and flipped open her phone. "Good morning Mio-chan!"

"Uhh..." Was the first thing Mio managed, unsure of how to bring up the topic. After all, she was about to ask a very... heavy question. And Mugi hadn't even formally come out, what if she was wrong about this? "Good morning Tsumugi." Might as well just have a little conversation, and see if she could fit it in. Wait... did she want to ask again?

"How are you today?" Mugi asked casually, jumping onto her bed and twirling her hair in her finger. Finely groomed, yet still damp, it was just perfect.

"Ohh... umm... ya I'm good. Just getting ready for my meeting with Ritsu today." Mio said calmly, wondering just how the hell she was going to steer this conversation in the direction of homosexuality... without seeming incredibly awkward or blatant in her approach. She had class, she wasn't just gonna ask it.

"Ohh ya?" Playing dumb was the best bet. She had to remain covert; Mio wasn't to know that she and Ritsu had been in cahoots. That would blow the top off of everything, and Mio probably wouldn't be happy to have been manipulated. Even if it was for her eventual benefit.

"Ya but um... I have something to ask..." Mio admitted, quietly, unsure of what else she could possibly do. After all, Mugi was the only person she knew who could give her answers. All of her gustiness and eagerness from her revelation at breakfast suddenly disappeared.

After a few moments of silence, Mugi calmly broke it by asking, "Yes?"

"Well um... I don't know. I mean... wait you're... you're gay right?" Mio barely even felt herself crying, small tears of shame and awkwardness tearing away at her resolve. But she had to ask, without asking, she was bound to lose every bit of sanity she had. She couldn't find all these answers by herself, she was lost!

Despite the question being very quiet, Mugi managed to get the gist of it. "Yes." She said plainly, though she almost guessed where the conversation was going from that point. She could tell that Mio was having trouble asking, having trouble coping, having trouble even staying on the phone. This was the hardest part of bringing Ritsu and Mio together, and Mugi had known that since they started. Mio would fight it... and there would be emotion. It almost hurt her to know that she had done this to Mio. The only thing that kept her going was the fact that in the end, this would help Mio. "Why?"

"Well I... I was wondering if you... if you remember when you... figured that out." Mio asked timidly, almost unable to find the right words. She was dizzy, she hadn't even remembered sitting down. This was the hardest thing since having to sing at the school festival her first year. Maybe even harder.

Mugi had to think about it though. Did she remember exactly when she figured that out? She must have been ten years old when she finally realized she was not like her friends. And that was a good while ago, and was there an exact moment for it? Unfortunately for Mio, there wasn't an exact moment. Mugi didn't have just a "Yurika" (Ha!) moment when she figured it out. It was just gradually realizing that every crush she had had was a girl.

"Umm... not really. Sorry Mio..." Mugi said, actually sad that she hadn't helped as much as she thought. But she definitely knew why, and she hoped that she could redeem herself, and improve the situation. "It just doesn't come at one time. At least not for me. I just kinda realized that girls were more right for me."

Mio was a bit deflated by the news. She wished it had just been some blatant, quick realization, but of course, the world was far too perverse for that. No, it had to make everything more complicated. But, not all was lost. At least Mugi hadn't hung up on her, and Mugi did sound genuinely apologetic for not being able to give an answer. Mio knew that she could still get at least AN answer. "How did you know that?"

"Well... I guess it was because all of my crushes were on my friends. They just... they were more attractive to me. I didn't see the appeal in guys. I thought girls were just prettier." Mugi was now being completely frank and completely serious. No longer twirling her hair, she was sitting up and trying to be as tender as possible. "I just kinda... paid attention. To what I was feeling. I thought about it a little bit, but once I got rid of all the clutter, it was an easy thing to think about. It wasn't hard at all. Just another fact in my life."

Now Mio realized that Mugi had basically given her the same advice Nodoka had, except Mugi had made more sense of it. Pay attention to everything. Think about it a little. Get rid of the clutter. It won't be hard at all. Just another fact in Mio's life. And she would deal with that fact, because facts couldn't be changed. Mio realized that no matter how much she analyzed and over analyzed it, a fact couldn't be changed or destroyed. Ignored, sure, but that was careless. As expected, Mugi had been just the girl she needed to call. "Thanks." She said after a good while of silence. "I'll talk to you later."

"Ok, talk to you later Mio-chan! Have fun with Ritsu today!" Mugi said, and finished the thought in her mind, 'I'll be there to watch every bit of it.'

Mio hung up the phone, a bit nervous, but mostly content. Mugi was the big book of answers, Mio had to remember that for the future. Nodoka's advice rang in her head. "Don't over think it." Mugi's story echoed, mostly the key points of it. Pay attention. Think little. No clutter. That clutter was the fog of questions and consequences and apprehensions that Mio had been surrounded in. That fog that had made her feel lost.

The fog was the clutter, and if she got rid of that clutter, then everything would become easier. She still had apprehensions, of course, and fears and worries about what might come of that afternoon. But, the fog had lifted just ever so slightly, and now Mio had an idea of where to go. Her get together with Ritsu would be an experiment.

She would pay attention. Not just to what was happening, but also what she felt about it. She would only think a little bit about those thoughts, just enough so she could understand what she was feeling, and why. She wouldn't think about the obstacles, or the consequences, or the fear of losing her best friend. Hopefully then, just like Mugi, it wouldn't be hard at all.

That would be the first step. Mio pushed all the other thoughts away, all the fog, and finished preparing herself for her day out with Ritsu. She had all the tools she needed to find out one thing and one thing only, the one thing that would be the catalyst for everything else. Did she have an attraction to Ritsu? That was the question, and Mio would be darned if she didn't try and find an answer.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I am almost done with the ninth one as well, and am very eager to get that on up as well.

I'd love to hear what you guys think, so if you get a chance, leave a review. Thanks!


	9. Chapter 9

Ritsu managed to woke up in what may be best described as an "alert daze". She had slept a couple of hours, Making up what she had missed from the night before, and was running just a tad bit later than she would have liked. Still with enough time to catch the bus downtown, but she still had to brush her teeth, shower, groom her hair, get dressed, and beg her parents for money. That was a lot to do when scrunched for time.

Despite her tiredness and natural apathy, she managed to jump out of bed. Or try to... the sheets prevented it by catching her foot. Despite her enthusiasm, she fell straight to the floor. Like fate's way of saying "Wake up you fool! You have a date today!". Ritsu bounced back almost effortlessly, getting to her feet and running to the bathroom with no delays at all.

She cursed herself as she stripped down and stepped into the shower, why on earth hadn't she done this at 2 AM when she couldn't sleep? Why was she just sitting in bed anxiously twiddling her thumbs in waiting, instead of having some initiative? Lack of planning it seemed, who cared though, no time to fret about that now. If she was late, Mio wouldn't be happy. Not that she was usually on time... but today was more vital! More vital than almost any other time in Ritsu's life!

She bathed quickly, the water scolding hot so she wouldn't get too comfortable, but would get as clean as ever. When her couple minute long shower ended, she was actually relieved, rather than disappointed... but that was a good thing. She had no time to waste today, no time to spend relaxing or messing around. She dried off an immediately ran to the mirror. Thankfully, all that had to do was straighten her hair, and stick her head band on. Thank God for cooperative hair... Mugi and Yui could never have gotten away with this. She had seen what Yui looked like when she tried...

Breakfast had to be skipped; she still had to dress and head to the bus stop. Besides, they were going to a café, and she was sure that Mugi could "negotiate" the prices down just a little bit. And if not, Ritsu would have enough money to pay for tea to tide her over, and then come home to eat. Besides, she was a little nervous, so her appetite was pretty much out the window.

After a quick brush of her teeth and a few rinses of mouth wash, she was ready to go. Normally, she wouldn't worry so much about that aspect, especially considering she was just going to go eat and drink... but today she had to dress for success. Unlike the past, she was actually trying to impress someone. Whether that "someone" knew or not, she was going to at least try.

But trying only goes so far. Despite wanting to "dress for success", she wasn't going to snazzy herself up just for the occasion. Besides, then Mio might know that something was up and the top would be blown off everything. Ritsu knew that Mio wasn't stupid, and given enough signs, she could figure out even the most devious and ludicrous things. So, Ritsu decided to just wear what she normally would, something comfortable and casual.

She managed to get herself ready and put together with a few minutes to spare before having to get to the bus stop. Now all she had to do was sprint the short distance to it... but before that... beg her parents to give her some spare change. She honestly thought about skipping that step and just taking it... it would save time. But no, she couldn't steal from her parents, even if she planned to return it. She had tried that in the past and it did not bode well for her.

However, she always had her own money... and that seemed like the best bet. Her brother would likely report her if she took from him without him knowing, and she didn't have time to beg any one for money anyways. She looked around her room, looking under her bed, in her drawers, and in the pockets of dirty clothing... and finally managed to get about a thousand yen together. Not bad, more than enough to get herself a cup of tea. Only one, but... still.

Money in hand, she bolted out the door, leaving a scribbling note that said something along the lines of "BBL". Hopefully if her parents couldn't get that, her brother could translate it for them. She didn't have any time to waste, not now. She hadn't wasted some of the most stressful minutes of her life getting ready as quick as she could, just to miss her ride into town and be late for her meeting with Mio.

Her heart almost stopped when she turned the corner saw the bus was already at the stop. She bolted for it, as she had done many times in the past. No way was she going to miss the bus; it would through the entire day out of order! She ran as fast as her legs had ever, and probably would ever carry her.

Thankfully, the elderly woman behind the wheel of the vehicle wasn't a stranger to Ritsu, and albeit regularly scolding the girl for her tardiness, always took pity. Her door was half way pulled shut when Ritsu ran up to it and knocked on it. The decrepit old woman opened it, about to give one of her small lectures... but the urgent look in Ritsu's eyes told her that it would be best not to. She had mercy, and let Ritsu take her seat.

The moment the brunette was inside of the bus, she flipped open her phone. It was around 11:50. She thought about texting Mugi to see if everything was set up right... but it was a fleeting thought. This was Mugi... and Mugi had never once failed to meet a dead line. Ritsu wasn't the paranoid or worrying type, and texting Mugi would have simply been a bother. Had something been wrong, Ritsu would have already known about it. That was the reliability of Mugi-chan.

What worried Ritsu most was that Mio ALWAYS ran early. She had most likely already been waiting there for a good twenty minutes, and although Ritsu was still on the early side, more than normal anyways, she didn't want to keep her "date" waiting. Nor did she want to wait... and had she not been catching up on all the missed sleep from the night before, she would have been at that café before even Mio.

Despite still feeling sleepy, she wouldn't have slept on that bus if her life depended on it.

* * *

Predictably, Mio was already there. Heck, to her knowledge, she was the first one to arrive. Thanks to living a bit closer to down town, she was able to leave her house, walk slowly, enjoy the scenery, and still get that about an hour before their designated meeting time. She didn't mind however, being early was her thing. She was really eager, but it was that strange kind of eager that mixes with nervousness. Kind of like before she got on to do a show. She both wanted to get it over with... and wanted to delay it for the longest time she possibly could.

She sat on a bench right in front of the café, watching the people of the town walk about. Some girls walked by, holding bags and chatting with each other... obviously the kind of girl whose parents did all the spending for them. However, she decided to bite the bullet and start her test out right there. Though she didn't really want to, she knew that she had to at least try and stop running away from the truth. Whatever truth it might have been.

Her opportunity came quickly. She still had a while before Ritsu would probably show up, and the perfect specimen crossed right in front of her. A tall, bulky, handsome boy walked right by her, his head held high. Mio thought he almost looked movie-esque, what all the girls swooned over in films and in mangas. So, as he walked towards her, and walked away, she studied him intently, looking away only when he noticed her.

However, unbeknownst to her, while she was watching... someone else was watching her. Now, if she had thought she had gotten there early, she was a day late and a dollar short. A certain blonde, watching Mio intently from inside of the café, had the advantage of pure eagerness, two cups of tea, and most importantly... a ride. Tsumugi watched Mio's actions intently every spare second she had.

After all, observation was important if there was going to be any success that day. Mugi would stay behind the scenes the whole time, watching Mio's actions and Ritsu's actions... seeing what could happen next and which way to steer things. Right now, she had to determine Mio's mood. Well... you know... that and she wanted to look at Mio. Who cares if Ritsu was going to be with her in the end...? Mio was really pretty. And there was nothing wrong with that.

However, as soon as Mio started looking at the guy walking by... Mugi got slightly concerned. Mio was... clearly distracted by this gentleman, but was there a genuine attraction? Every time Mio looked away, Mugi saw a faded blush on her cheeks. Mugi watched even more intently from that point, she just had to know...

The experience left both of them wondering what Mio was thinking. Mio thought about what she liked about the guy... what she found attractive. He had pretty brown eyes... not unlike someone else. He also had his hair parted down the center, no bangs in front of his face... but something was missing. He also had brown hair... who else had that? Mio chalked the test up as a failure in her mind... maybe he just wasn't her type. Maybe he just didn't have the right parts...

Mio just tucked her hands between her legs; she had opted to wear a skirt today so she would look slightly more formal, and looked around her. Mugi however... she didn't know Mio was just testing. She could have been checking the guy out for all she knew, and even though that's exactly what Mio had been doing... it wasn't for the same reason as Mugi thought. The blonde, cleverly hidden in the nook right by the kitchen, now had something else to worry about. What if she had gotten Ritsu's hopes up for nothing...?

What if Mio was straight? Ritsu would be so disappointed... what if she stopped talking to her? Mugi couldn't afford to lose friends! She only had four of those, and Sawako-sensei. And if Ritsu spread the effect to Mio?! Then Mugi would lose two friends! The poor blonde did her best to stifle her overly creative imagination. If she didn't... there was no way she could think clearly for all of this.

After all, even if Mio turned out to be straight... she had a promise to Ritsu. And besides, after thinking about the last few days... the signs were in her favor. Mio had been squirming almost endlessly for the last few days... and the phone call that morning was nothing short of complete confirmation. Why else would Mio ask about something like that...? Especially on the day of what was supposed to become a major landmark in Ritsu and Mio's relationship.

However, not soon after Mugi had cleared her head of the dismal thoughts, she noticed Mio looking to her right, a nervous smile forming on the girl's face. Almost like disbelief. Mugi looked at the clock on the wall... it was almost noon. She looked at Mio, who had gotten to her feet, and was now waving slightly. Ritsu came into view a second later... she was early. Thus the disbelief on Mio's part. Mugi didn't waste any time watching them, Mio looked happy to see Ritsu and that's all she needed. She turned to the staff.

"Alright everyone! They are coming in in a second!" The staff members immediately stopped what they were doing and sprung into action. Mugi had already given them instructions... the staff wouldn't have to do much in this situation other than get the mood of things perfectly right.

Ritsu and Mio walked in after a rather uneventful greeting between them... Mio clearly feeling more nervous than she had in a really long time. The waitress at the front greeted them with a smile and immediately led them to a table... the first step of Mugi's plan. It was a small table, fit for two, in the near back of the shop. A small cubby... with a sort of dim lighting. Away from public eye. Though that would make it harder to spy on the two... it would lower their inhibitions. Mostly Mio's...

The waitress quickly left, giving a quick thumbs up to Mugi who was still hiding behind the kitchen wall. Mugi nodded and gave her a thumbs up back... she hadn't had this much fun in a very long time.

* * *

Mio wasn't sure if she liked it or not... once the waitress left things instantly became tense in the small space. It wasn't the atmosphere, no no, that was having the diverse effect. The soft orange lighting in the otherwise dark cubby at the back of the shop was soothing... much like when she would sit up during Christmas time. All the lights off in the house aside from the bright Christmas tree, which seemed to fill every room of the house with a serene orange glow.

However, even that eerily similar orange glow wasn't enough to calm the tension between her and Ritsu. She just couldn't think of anything to say... the silence was almost consuming in the small space. Not that Mio was claustrophobic, the cubby was fairly large. Enough space for her and Ritsu to fit comfortably, even if with the small table caused the two to almost brush their feet together.

Ritsu wasn't feeling nearly as awkward as Mio was; she was pretty chill despite the nervous feeling in her stomach. She sure knew how to keep calm, even when tensions were high. The only reason she was feeling nervous was because of what might happen later. She wanted to accomplish one thing today, and if more happened than that... great. If not, then she would at least have that one piece of knowledge. That one piece that would prove her successes with Mugi. She had to know... did Mio like her?

Little did she know the irony that Mio was trying to figure out the exact same thing.

Mio fidgeted as they sat, twiddling her thumbs nervously. They had only been there for a few minutes, yes, but it felt way longer to the nervous raven haired girl. She thanked the heavens when the waitress came back to the take their order. But... it didn't last long. A brief, almost unnecessary exchange of orders, that probably took less than a minute... and she was alone with Ritsu again.

But, just like dreading and having to perform in front of the whole school for the festivals... the show had to go on. She couldn't prepare herself, sit quietly, and tuck her feet under her chair for the entire time she was out with Ritsu, that would have been a waste of a day... and it might let Ritsu know that something was up. As if she didn't already know.

Besides, Mio didn't know how long they would be at the café, and she had a mission. Little did she know... Mugi had instructed her staff carefully to give those two plenty of room... basically, the cleaver blonde had ensured that those two girls would be sitting there until something happened.

She had shifted from the kitchen entry to the security room, a tiny little unmarked room in the back of the store... and the only way to look into Mio and Ritsu's room without entering it. She was still in ninja mode. She watched the grayscale screen carefully, Mio and Ritsu both sitting motionless.

The blurry security camera however... it didn't show exactly what was going on. Mio had decided to move forward in her plan, though she wasn't sure on how to do it. She took the first option which came to her mind, and that was looking at Ritsu... taking in the image of her best friend. She looked at Ritsu's face. Her beautiful amber eyes were looking off to the side, obviously bored, waiting for Mio to say something. Mio didn't break her gaze however, this was just like studying a text book.

Mio looked up at her hair. Parted down the center, a yellow head band holding the honey brown hairs back from the drummer's face. Mio liked it like that... far more than when Ritsu had her bangs down. It seemed so much more sincere during conversation when Mio could clearly see into Ritsu's big brown eyes. When she could see her face.

Mio looked down slightly. Ritsu was still looking off to the side, tapping her foot on the ground... trying to kill the time. The brunette was intent on giving Mio as much of a bubble of comfort as possible. Mio was fragile, especially when it came to this. She could tell the moment she saw Mio on the bench that she had to be careful. However, even though she was determined to let Mio start up conversation... she noticed something odd.

"Mio...?" She asked, causing the raven haired girl who had been studying the girl's lips to jump slightly, a blush on her face. "Is everything alright? You seem a bit... distracted." Ritsu made sure to keep her tone calm, easy, almost platonic. ALMOST. Platonic was the last thing that she wanted to be with Mio. Especially after the last three days.

"Ohh um... ya..." Mio said quietly, nervously. Unfortunately, she hadn't gotten her studying completely through... but she was close. She always had had an easier time imagining stuff when she had a solid image in her head. She was just at the part of wondering how soft Ritsu's lips were... and if she could ever in a million years kiss them. That would have answered these questions in one fell swoop... but NO~O... Ritsu had to say something. "Sorry... I'm just thinking about some stuff..."

Ritsu nodded. "Ya? Anything I can help with?" She asked sincerely, seriously wondering if she could help with something... hoping that she could help herself right into a relationship. Mio was confused, Ritsu was not. The brunette knew what she wanted... and Mio was coming closer.

But not close enough. "No no... It's ok. Don't worry about it, I'll think about it later." Ritsu almost deflated at the reply, and had it not been for her amazing stoicism, Mio might have seen the disappointment. Ritsu was tough when she had to be, especially when it came to emotions... Mio was not.

Mugi cursed her father for not installing sound on these security cameras... she wanted to hear what the two were saying! She cursed herself for not putting a small microphone on Ritsu's clothing or something... she was supposed to be helping. At that point, while Ritsu was searching for something to say next... both she and Mugi realized something in perfect conjunction.

The brunette was on her own. Aside from the staff, who would come at very large intervals to bring the girls their drinks to give them time... Ritsu was completely on her own.

And for once in her life, even though she was trying to talk with Mio... she couldn't think of a damn thing to say. She inadvertently stared straight forward at Mio, dumbfounded for what to do next. She shouldn't be this lost, this was Mio! But... it was a different Mio than before. A Mio that she was undoubtedly attracted to. Yet, Ritsu wasn't the romantic, and Mio was easily scared off. She needed someone deductive... someone smart, someone who felt the same level of emotion Mio did.

She needed Mugi damn it!

Mio blushed as she noticed Ritsu's eyes locked on her, staring at her like a deer caught in headlights. Come to think of it, Ritsu caught that look quite well. It was almost eerie. However, Mio was unable to say anything to break her out of that, that intense stare coupled with the situation already at hand... what could she do to break this? How could she break this tension?!

Of course, Mio was too sheepish to break it as well, and ended up giving the same dumbstruck stare back to her best friend. Neither was able to say anything. Ritsu just looked at Mio, waiting for something to come to her so she could start a conversation, scared that she might say the wrong thing and blow the top off of everything. Three days of action, and weeks of planning with Mugi... all shot.

Mio on the other hand, she was scared to death. Maybe Ritsu had picked up on her curiosities... maybe Ritsu knew that Mio had been checking out her face. A strange thing to assume, sure, but Mio didn't know how long she had been looking at Ritsu's face; it could have been a few seconds... or a whole minute. A faded blush smeared across Mio's cheeks and nose, still unable to break the silence, or look away from Ritsu's glare. It was a lot like the one in philosophy class... but this time, neither girl could take control.

All the while, Mugi was forced to watch it, her brain working as fast as it could. "Shoot..." She said harshly, under her breath. However, she quickly excused herself in the private room. Thank God her father had taught her that such language was "unlady like", or she might have sworn more often. But that aside, she needed an idea. Ritsu couldn't do this without her... bless her heart, Ritsu was just a bit too brash for something like this. Especially with someone like Mio.

She watched their moment of silence for what felt like ages, even though it had only been about twenty seconds. She couldn't help directly... and her staff was staying a ways away from the two girls. What was she going to do?! Texting Ritsu might have been a possibility, but texting in the company of a friend was rude. It showed disinterest, something that Mio did not want to feel. Mugi began searching around her frantically for some method of communication... and BAM! There it was!

A brand new invention... paper! She quickly scribbled a note on it, opened the door to the restaurant. She bolted over to a waitress, the small piece of paper in hand. She gave careful orders to the waitress, handing her the piece of paper, before darting off to the security room once more. She had a method of giving orders, hints, and tricks. The situation wasn't completely wrecked as she thought it might be.

Ritsu was great and all... but fairly clueless when it came to stuff like this. But for now, that problem was fixed.

Meanwhile, Ritsu had managed to break the staring spell after a good thirty seconds. She realized how awkward she was making it, and to distract her, pretended to be texting her mom about something or other. Not the most polite thing, but better than staring intently at your already confused and uncomfortable best friend. She decided that small talk would be best. "So... how about the soccer team? They are doing well..."

Mio had since snapped from her trance, entering a different one. She and Ritsu unknowingly mind melded, as she was scared she might have frightened or upset the girl sitting across the small table. For what reason, she wasn't sure. She looked towards Ritsu, slightly thrown off by the comment. "You... you don't watch them play..."

No she did not. Sports were not her thing; they seemed like a stupid waste of time. So that small talk attempt had failed. Ritsu looked around the small private space, unsure of what to do next. They might have been able to talk about the club, if Ritsu could find some easy way to introduce the topic... but she couldn't. Her brain seemed lost in a sea of endless possibilities, none of which would be comfortable or smooth.

Thankfully, her saving grace arrived.

"Excuse me." A high, timid voice said from the entrance to the cubby. A small girl stood there, dressed the part for a maid café, holding a tray. She walked over to the side of the table. "Which of you had the matcha tea?" She asked, to which Mio held up her hand. Without delay, she handed Mio her cup of tea. She handed the other cup of a tea, a slightly more caffeine rich cup, to Ritsu... with just a touch more difficulty.

Mio calmly sipped her tea, using it to wash away her stress. Ritsu however, she had found something. The bottom of the plates had a small indent, and in hers... a small piece of paper had been tucked in carefully. She pulled it out, curiously, and opened up the small tattered shred. "_*Hide this note after reading it*_

_Did you see Azusa and Yui on Friday? *wait for response* They seemed kind of touchy you know? More than usual I mean... *wait for response, then start talking about the club.*_" Mugi's handwriting.

Ritsu's eyes lit up as she read the small note. Mugi had pulled through for her. She quickly dashed the note under the table, causing Mio a bit of confusion, but she brushed it off quickly. Ritsu kept the note just barely visible in her lap, so she could read it if necessary. Mugi knew what she was doing after all, and Ritsu knew that better than anyone at this point. "So Mio... have you seen Azusa and Yui recently?" She asked almost with a sly grin on her face. She wouldn't stick to Mugi's script... Mugi was just far too proper for Ritsu's taste, but a little adlibbing wouldn't matter that much. In fact, it would probably help.

Mio flashed Ritsu a confused look. "Uhh... ya. They were in the club room on Friday. Why?"

"Well you know..." Ritsu said, leaning in and talking a bit quieter, almost as if telling a secret. Even though they were in what was essentially a secret cove. "Didn't they seem a bit... off to you? Like, Yui has never listened to anyone that well before, and Azusa seemed a bit... I don't know... TOO happy."

Mio giggled nervously, wondering if it was true. Sure, they may have been a bit off... but Yui was failing a class, which would explain her sorrowful aura... and Azusa always got that way when she was trying to get stuff accomplished. But, was it more so than earlier. Yui seemed to be both happy and stressed, though she only showed the latter during rehearsal. "Maybe, but remember who we are talking about here. Azusa sure... but you know Yui."

Mugi watched as the awkward tension between Mio and Ritsu shattered. Heck, she could feel it in the security room, just by watching the screen with the two girls on it. She scribbled down another note for when they needed refills, just to be extra prepared.

"I guess so, but I think something might happen with those two." Ritsu said, smirking devilishly, taking a long sip of her tea like a villain in a bad movie. "I don't know what, but something will happen between them. Mark my words Mio! There is something in the air, something that tells me stuff's going down..." Mio giggled slightly at Ritsu's overly dramatic body language. Ritsu was feigning seriousness in the best way she knew how, like an Italian. She exaggerated every gesture her hands normal made when she talked. It was too much... but that was just Ritsu. Being ridiculous.

'I like a guy that can make me laugh...' Where had Mio heard that before? And why did it sound slightly wrong to her...? Something about the expression was strange to her... something just didn't feel totally into place. Like one of the words was wrong...

Mugi watched as Ritsu continued her grandiose jabbering, while Mio sat quietly, sipping her tea like a proper lady. Now was the time to really make Mio squirm... to really make Mio think about what she had probably come here thinking about from the start. She handed the note to the waitress, and sent her off to refill the girls' drinks.

The waitress quickly came, took away Mio's glass as well as Ritsu's and replaced them with full cups, apparently "free of charge". Mio was happy, slightly taken aback by the courteous gesture by the establishment... but Ritsu knew. She knew all too well that they weren't "free". Just covered. She shook her head, quickly lifting up the tea and snatching the note that was hiding in the groove on the underside of the glass. She waited for Mio to look away, at the walls or something, before putting the note in her lap and opening it up. It was simpler this time. Ritsu almost thought that Mugi might be abusing her powers for a second.

"_Turn attention to her hair. Ask her how she does it. Compliment it. Then ask if you should grow yours out and see what she says. Divert conversation back to casualty afterwards._"

Ritsu shrugged. How could she turn the attention of the conversation on to Mio's hair? She looked at it... it was pretty hair. Mio did an excellent job of keeping her obsidian lochs in perfect condition. It was so perfect, and it reflected light because of how shiny and smooth it was. She had touched that hair before... and it was as soft as it looked. Like silk in her hands. But how could she turn attention to it?!

While she thought, Mio noticed her intently staring again... but this time, not into her eyes. This time, she was staring at her shoulder. More accurately, over her shoulder... and there was only one thing back there. "Can I help you with something...?" She asked, a bit confused as to why Ritsu had gone from energetic conversation to intent staring without so much of a blip.

Ritsu looked up at Mio, then back at the girl's hair. That would work. "Ohh uhh... well you know. You're hair is so pretty..." She said, using Mugi's order as a liaison. It worked, as Mio's face turned bright pink, her hands shooting to her hair. She pinched and ran her fingers down it, then repeated with the other hand. Like a nervous child might when she had nothing else to do or say. Perfect. "I know you've told me before... but how do you keep it so well kempt?"

Mio kind of shrugged nervously, before giving a small... yet some how very detailed description of the product names she used, the times she used them... etc... etc.... blah de blah... de blah. Mugi's note had said she had to ask, it never said she had to listen, and when Mio talked about hair... Mio talked a lot. Ritsu looked like she was listening, even though she couldn't understand what Mio was saying. Exfoliating... your hair...? First off, she didn't know what that was to begin with!

She managed to stay determined and appear interested enough to please Mio. "I could you show you some time... if you would actually watch..." Mio said, causing Ritsu to snap her head slightly. It was her turn to talk after about a minute of hair talk. She guessed it was for the best though, Mugi knew what she was doing. Getting Mio to talk about something she already knew fairly well... it worked to open her up.

Now it was time to divert attention back to Ritsu. "Sure... but... do you think I should grow my hair out? I mean... I wanna look good. What do you think would look the best on me?" She knew where Mugi was coming with that question. She was just trying to find out what Ritsu could do to appear more attractive to Mio. Pretty sneaky, and had Ritsu not been on the inside of this, she never would have known.

Mio blushed slightly, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know... I kind of like it the way it is now..." 'I can see your face... I like that...' Mio had thought the second part, and it caught her off-guard. Even she didn't know where that comment had come from, it was as if a foreign invader was taking over her thinking as well. There was always the mental illness option she could ponder...

"Really?" Ritsu asked, smiling slightly on the inside. Had she heard Mio's thoughts, she would have been sky high... "There's nothing I can do?"

Mio just shrugged again, her heart once again racing in her chest, a small faded blush visible on her cheeks if one looked close enough. The dim lighting in the back room hid it from Ritsu, fortunate for the black haired girl... but Mugi, even though she couldn't' see either girl's face with great clarity... she knew it was there. Heck, had the camera not even been on, she would have known. After that morning, Mugi knew that almost any potentially romantic comments would be enough to set poor Mio off.

Mio shook her head. She liked Ritsu's hair the way it was, and there was nothing wrong with that. The headband kept the hair out of her face, and Mio could always see right into Ritsu's eyes. She liked that the most.

Ritsu wasn't really sure on how to divert the conversation back to something casual. It was a difficult thing to think about right on the spot there. Moments of silence passed, Mio sitting, waiting for a new subject or question... Ritsu sitting, trying to think of a new subject or question. She was just about to dismiss politics as a discussion point when Mio spoke up.

"The summer festival is coming up..." Mio had said it almost absent mindedly.

"Ya it is, a couple weeks from now right?" Ritsu asked, sipping her tea and tipping back in her chair. Mio had saved her, amazingly.

Mio looked at Ritsu, nodding slightly. Ritsu almost expected a reminder about the auditorium use form, but instead... "Do you think we'll be ready?"

"Wha....?" Ritsu wasn't sure what kind of question that was. Of course they would! They had like four songs in all! And they had all been playing those songs for a couple years now, if you can't learn four songs in three years, you should quit as a musician forever. "Of course! If we did it three years ago we can do it now!"

"Ya but... we haven't been rehearsing very much. I mean, we've barely touched our instruments since we came back from summer break. I just want to sound as good as always..." Ritsu rolled her eyes; Mio was just the worrying type. The kind who would do a project the teacher gave them three months to work on that night.

"Ohh relax. Sawako even said we could use a couple more days off to get used to school..." Okay, not EXACTLY that, but something similar, "Well get back to it tomorrow. We'll play our last summer festival better than any of the others! And this time we'll have Azusa to help, so I'm sure the school's gonna love it!"

Mio thought about that for a second... Ritsu had such senseless optimism... but it made Mio smile slightly in agreement. The last two years, they hadn't had Azusa... this year they did and she would help if Yui dropped the melody for a second or two. They would be more than fine with all five girls on stage. "It's been two years..."

Ritsu couldn't resist... "And your fanclub is still running strong." Even in the dim lighting, Ritsu could see Mio's face turn as red as she had ever seen it. She knew that if she were any closer, she would have been smacked, but instead, she just got to laugh it off.

"Well I haven't seen any one stalking me this year..." Mio said, still blushing deeply. Ritsu almost began another laughing fit. Who knows, had she not been in any classes with Mio... that might have been different. She had come close a few times to following Mio for a little while after they parted ways walking home... just to see her. "Does the club have a president this year?"

"I'm sure, but she hasn't officially said anything. You have lots of fans Mio... I can't say I blame them." Ritsu said, all of her brash gutsiness flaring up to give her the courage to say it. She grinned coyly at Mio, who was stiff, almost shaking with a mixture of fury, confusion, and what might be hope. Fury at Ritsu for making the joke... confusion at if it actually was a joke or not... and a glimmer of hope that if Ritsu liked her, the whole situation may just get that much easier. It was a strange feeling... she almost hoped that Ritsu liked her.

* * *

It all went smoothly from there, after Mio had recovered from Ritsu's comment. Conversation diverted back to normality, casual banter, and smooth discussion. Ritsu had no more notes delivered to her; Mugi decided that enough was enough. Contrary to the plan Mugi had set out in her mind, which she watched on the security camera with a hawk's eye, Ritsu had pushed a little further than she had in mind. When she saw Mio stiffen up like a board, and Ritsu's impish grin... she knew that Ritsu had diverted from the planned course. Slightly, but enough to make Mio squirm.

And that wasn't Mugi's intent. If they pushed too hard, Mio would feel super weird, almost alienated, and become tepid around Ritsu. She would start truly avoiding her, afraid of what Ritsu might press next. Mio was fragile, like a butterfly, and progression was necessary. Ritsu almost just ripped off her wings... but thankfully, things seemed to be going ok.

Ritsu and Mio made their way out of the restaurant, paying for only the cost of one drink even though both girls had had three each. Mugi would just take it out of her allowance. Though she didn't like to flaunt her wealth too often, some things were more important than pride, and making her friends happy was one of them.

Ritsu smiled warmly at Mio, who gave a half hearted smile back. Given the events of that lunch... it was pretty much all she could manage. "Thanks for tea today Mio! I had a really good time!" She said with a smile, staring at Mio's face.

Mio didn't really know what to say. Conversation should have been easy for her, it always had been with Ritsu... but it just wasn't happening. Maybe it was because she didn't really want to say good-bye...

"Mio...?" Ritsu asked, tilting her head curiously at the girl who had donned her "deer in headlights" look once more. Mio jumped slightly, a hint of a blush on her face. She didn't know what to do, but she had to do something right? Words couldn't come, she knew if she opened her mouth it would be incoherent and Ritsu would take her as some sort of joker or fool. "Mio, are you feeling..."

Suddenly though, Mio was closer. A lot closer. Ritsu felt the front of her body warm up, and two arms wrap around her. It took her a second to register it, but Mio was giving her a hug. And that was truly something special. Ritsu's felt tingled in her shoes, trying to remember the last time Mio had hugged her, and it had been some time. Especially a hug like this.

Mio pulled away after a good couple of seconds. She didn't know where the hug had come from, or why she even gave the hug... it was like something inside of her acted without her even knowing it until she was firmly wrapped around her best friend. After pulling away, she couldn't even remember if the hug had actually happened... or if she had just imagined it.

"Thanks Mio..." Ritsu said, her tone buttery with confusion, and glee. Mio looked at her, trying to decide if it actually happened, and yes, Ritsu's facial expression said it all.

She blushed, smiling slightly and shrugging. "S-sure... I'll umm... I'll see you tomorrow." Mio said, shaking like a leaf, "Bye Ritsu..."

"Bye Mio!" Ritsu shouted back, already having walked a fair distance away. She was waving, and smiling from ear to ear. Mio waved back slightly, and stood there... watching Ritsu go. She looked almost dumbfounded, but there was a look of revelation and relief barely visible on her face. After a few seconds she walked away, turning and walking the opposite direction of the bus stop Ritsu had come from.

Mio's thoughts were sparking in every direction... But now she had far less to doubt herself about. That hug... it had come from no where... but it was just the thing that Mio needed. Enough to push her in the right direction anyways.

As the security camera lost its view on Mio and Ritsu, Mugi stared at it. Even with the foggy, pixilated images on the inches wide screen, Mugi had seen it all. Her daydreaming however, it only took her mind away for a second. Then, almost complete and utter confusion set in.

She left the shop, paying the excess tab as well as strongly tipping all of the employees for their yelp. She got in her limo, and began driving home. All the while, her thoughts were reeling from having watched that scene on the security screen... she was trying to wrap her mind around how Mio had had the courage to do something like that... and why.

They were home before she knew it, and she climbed the three stories of stairs up to her room... flopped on the bed... and threw her head back. She looked at the ceiling, shaking her head slightly. She spoke slowly and calmly to her ceiling, completely serious, "Girls are so confusing..."

* * *

I hope that was worth the wait! A monster of a chapter this time, but at least Mio and Ritsu are making some headway right? And of course, Mugi did get some involvement, even if it was just minor.

I hope you liked it. Finally broke the 40000 word barrier, the 5th K-On! fic on the site to do so. Hooray!

Reviews are appreciated! I would love to know what you think, and I would be more than willing to fix any problems you find. Thank you!


	10. Chapter 10

Yui had decided to head to school just a little bit early that day. She found sleep next to impossible; she felt a certain eagerness inside of her that just wouldn't stifle itself. It wouldn't go away no matter how hard she had tried to get herself to sleep. She ended up wasting her night sitting in her bed, either playing guitar, or even reading the book she and Azusa had studied two days prior. Someone else was there too... but Yui couldn't really remember who it was. She wasn't reading to study really, she was reading because in one way or another, the book reminded her of her Azu-nyan. She didn't have any pictures of the girl.

The book however, it was an extremely boring text, and it did manage to earn her half a night's sleep... but she still managed to wake up before the sun had. She slithered out of bed as always, just because she couldn't sleep didn't mean she wanted to get up... but managed to get out of the warmth of the covers before the sun was in her eyes, and about an hour before her normally useless alarm would ring.

She got up, groggy... until she noticed something. Everything looked different when you got up early. Everything seemed different anyways; everything seemed just a little bit quieter in her dimly lit room, the 5:00 AM sun barely peaking over the horizon into her window. She curiously opened her eyes, the dreariness of her early morning wake up shattered by the serenity of the room. It was amazing to her, she hadn't been up this early since last New Years Eve... and even then it wasn't like this. Last time, she was with all of her friends, and the house was full of life.

Now, it wasn't. The silence was more of less deafening, Yui felt like she might get in trouble if she said anything or made even a sound. She didn't know from what, but there was going to be something to get her in trouble. She quietly tip-toed across her room, making as little noise as she could with every step. She was lucky Ui wasn't there, she looked ridiculous trying to preserve the silence in the house.

She quietly took her shower; thankfully the house was well built and didn't carry noise too hot. While she was trying to be quiet, keeping her footsteps light, rather than plodding and heavy like they usually were in the morning, she actually inadvertently allowed her sister to sleep right through her early morning antics. Ui wasn't a light sleeper, and on the few occasions Yui had gotten up before her, Yui had always shattered the girl's peaceful sleep.

Yui let the hot water pour onto her skin, barely even realizing it was near scolding temperature. The still calm atmosphere wasn't affected by the shower, the shower sounded like a waterfall in a meadow to Yui. For once in her life, she actually started to think. That was amazing in itself. Her early morning showers were usually spent sleeping, occasionally slipping, waking up due to said slip, and then sleeping again.

Naturally, her mind wandered aimlessly for a few minutes, thinking about everything from the book she had been forced to read, then her classes, to the club, to the summer festival that was fast approaching. But... she realized a pattern. Every time she thought about something, Azusa was there. Her Azusa.

Azusa was in her life because of the summer festival from the year prior... that's when they had recruited her to join the Light Music Club. So full of energy and life... but stifled due to the fact that she wasn't used to the customs of the light music club. Yui giggled, remembering the first time she had to calm Azu-nyan down... that was the first time she discovered that Azusa liked being touched.

Sure, it wasn't on the same level as Yui would desire, but trial and error had showed her what she could or could not do. That was how she lived her life after all. She discovered things based on how they went, after already trying them out. Point and case, hugging Azusa tightly, and petting the small girl's head... that day, she found out that that much contact was ok with Azusa. Azusa wouldn't "punish" Yui for tight hugs, or petting for that matter.

Yui however... she was a like a small child still. She loved physical contact, on a much higher level than any other girl in the club. She loved to hug, touch, hold hands, pet, et cetera, et cetera. And she found out where to draw her boundaries from the other girls. Mio wasn't the "toucher", it wasn't her thing, and Yui respected that. Ritsu was more so, but still, it was limited to friend hugs. Mugi was different... Yui just didn't feel right hugging her. Though she knew that Mugi would more than accept the hugs... but something felt wrong about giving them.

Maybe Mugi accepted the hugs too much for Yui's comfort, but that didn't make sense. Everyone knew Mugi's sexual preference of course; it wasn't much of a secret, especially not in an all girls' secondary school. But that wasn't what bothered Yui. She wasn't a homophobic person at all, anything but! It's just... although she occasionally would hug Mugi-chan, it never felt quite right.

She not only didn't want to give Mugi-chan the wrong idea. She was great and all but... to Yui; she just wasn't the right person. Neither was Mio or Ritsu. But Yui wasn't sure about Azusa, despite her confidence. So what was her problem solving strategy for finding out if Azusa was "the right person"? Simple, the same as everything else. Trial and error.

And so far, based on yesterday and the day before, her trials were showing no error. So far, her trials were successful. Azusa hadn't slapped her once, and Azusa had even given her a hug, and accepted Yui's kisses without protest. Probably because she didn't have any time to protest Yui's actions, until they were already completed anyways... but would she have protested at all? Yui couldn't tell, all she knew was that by in large, she had gotten off scotch free.

Yui barely even realized that she was standing in the shower as the water started to get cold. She immediately washed up, having wasted a quarter of an hour thinking, in the water that simply got colder from there. At the end of her bathing, she stumbled out of the tub and wrapped a towel around herself. "Gotta get ready for school!" She said excitedly as she stumbled out of the restroom, toothbrush in mouth, and leapt down the stairs, taking two or three at once. She stopped halfway, at the landing, remembering how peacefully quiet the house was. "Sorry..." She said quietly, before tip-toeing down the stairs, as quiet as she could be.

She ate her dinner as quiet as she possibly could, even though it was near dark aside from the thin glow of yellow in the room from the morning sun, lazily making its way over the horizon. Yui watched it out the window. She giggled slightly, 'Looks like the Sun needs an Ui today...' She thought, still smirking at her little joke as she picked up her empty cereal bowl and put it in the sink. "Or maybe an Azu-nyan to think about..." She muttered as she turned away, looking towards the door. She giggled slightly at the comment, picking the glass of orange juice off the table she had poured.

She took it back up the stairs with her, barely even realizing that she was eating in nothing but a towel wrapped around her chest, barely covering her decency. She walked into her room, and then into her closet, slowly slipping on her school uniform. The sun was barely starting to get up over the horizon, and Yui knew that Ui would be up early. Ui always got up early, usually enough to beat the sun, but it was still summer. The sun was fighting its way up hours before either girl stirred.

Yui actually felt a bit proud as she finished up the finishing touches her uniform and combed her hair, hearing her sister's 6:00 alarm go off. It was a strange feeling to already be up and completely ready for the day before Ui. Yui beamed as she realized that she had a chance to make up for all the days that Ui had paid her.

Yui hurried back down to the kitchen, stopping to wave to Ui who was in her room, drowsy. Ui however, her surprise mounted into complete alertness as she noticed that Yui had just wished her a good morning... and the sun was even all the way up yet! She even had to dash back to her alarm to make sure it was 6:00 and not 8:30... Yui just wasn't up this early! It alarmed her, maybe she was late! What if she had over slept!?

She was possibly even more surprised to find out that it was her usual wake-up time, and that Yui had actually beaten her out of bed and getting ready for the day. She moved from her room to the bathroom, holding her school clothes in hand, and locked the door. Things were just too weird recently, but hey, maybe one weirdness had contributed to another.

As Ui exited the shower, the smell of fried rice and sizzling from the kitchen had destroyed the silence and serenity in the household. Not that Ui really noticed. She was still trying to wrap her mind around that fact that Yui had gotten up before her. The little sister gingerly closed the door, having already dressed and combed her hair. Her morning methods were still far more efficient than Yui's were. She smelled the air for a second, before drifting towards the kitchen.

"Onee-chan?" Ui asked as she poked her head around the wall, looking in to the kitchen. Yui was practically whistling, a smile on her face that was bright enough to make the room glow. Or maybe that was the sun, which had finally gotten all the way over the horizon, and had lit up the kitchen with cheerful morning light. Ui was concerned by this point, and saw a carefully assembled plate where she usually sat to eat. She walked over to it carefully and examined it.

Fried rice and noodles, all prepared and set out in a cleaver arrangement that kept either dish from touching the other. Ui wasn't sure why... but hey, nothing was really normal in her world today thus far. She looked up to her sister, who was still happily cooking some eggs in a pan. "Onee-chan... are you feeling ok?"

Yui's eyes popped open in surprise as she heard the small, concerned voice from behind her. She turned to face her sister, who had a very confused expression donned on her face, and smiled warmly. "Of course Ui-chan! I'm just excited for today." Yui said as she brought over the pan full of scrambled eggs, subsequently the only kind she knew how to cook, and put them in the space between the friend rich and noddles. A very strange arrangement, but Ui was hungry. "I just got up early. I get to see Azu-nyan today!"

Ui began eating her food, surprised at how well tasting it was. Apparently, Yui had watched her make dishes enough to where she knew the gist of what to do. She almost choked as Yui spoke however. "You just saw her Saturday!" She said, swallowing the food stuck in her wind pipe.

Yui nodded, "I know, it's been too long!" Ui looked blankly at Yui for a second, in disbelief that just over twenty four hours was "too long", but the events from Saturday slowly began to recollect in her mind. She could understand why Yui wanted to see Azusa-chan so bad, anyone who couldn't must have been as blind as a bat. There was a connection between those two, Ui could definitely tell that. She had probably been thinking about it more than even Yui had.

The way she saw it, two things would come from it. "One", she would get to see Azusa more, since Yui and Azusa would probably be hanging out a lot more. That was a plus, because then she would get both her sister and one of her best friends to hang out with around the house. But, "Two" wasn't as pleasant. Ui got little attention as it was; her parents weren't home all the time, and what if they found Azusa's home more comfortable? Or start spending more time in their "Club Room"? Ui didn't like being home along, afternoons were bad enough sometimes without her Onee-chan.

Yui noticed Ui's look of wonder and slightly dread. "Eat up Ui-chan, your food will get cold!" She said at once. She wasn't any class of mind reader, she simply knew how to read facial expressions... but even that was too much at times. Best not to let Ui be dismal over it. Yui was sure it was nothing, nothing more than silly concern that Ui might have developed about school or romance or whatever.

Ui snapped out of it at once and nodded, digging into the food her sister had laid out for her with relish. It was good, as good as Ui had always made, and made just a little bit better by the fact that she hadn't made it. Yui had. It felt like a gift. "Thank you Onee-chan!" She said with a smile as she ate, looking at the clock on the wall. Just as she expected, plenty of time left over. But today, nothing to do with it. Usually, she'd have to get Yui up and ready, get food started, eat, clean up... but pretty much all of that was done.

What were they to do with the morning? It was still way before 7:00; when she usually got Yui up... so what were they going to do?

"Alright! Let's get going!" Yui said triumphantly as Ui finished with her plate and put it in the dish washer. Ui turned to face her older sister, confusion once again smeared across her visage.

"Going where...?"

"To school silly! I wanna get there super early so I can see Azu-nyan before class starts!" Sure... sure she did.

"You know Onee-chan... being there earlier doesn't mean that..." Yui had a look of determination on her face... and Ui knew that no matter what she said, she couldn't break that. Yui had already gathered her school bags, and Ui's, and was impatiently waiting for her little sister to get moving. Ui just rolled her eyes, got to her feet, slipped on her shoes, and left with her sister. She could already tell it was going to be a strange day.

* * *

They walked to school very slowly on that day, though neither said a word. Yui was too busy locked in thought, a thing that only made Ui's slight concern develop. Every bit of Yui's scatter brain had focused on Azusa, it seemed that everything revolved around Azusa recently. Not that Yui could really help it, even if she hadn't wanted to think about Azusa constantly, the way her brain worked would always work against her.

She tried thinking about other stuff to reduce her eagerness, but was again reminded that everything in her life some way or another tied into Azusa. While she might get a couple of her scatter brained thoughts elsewhere, they would drift back in moments. She tried thinking about the book... the book Azusa had helped her study. No good. She tried thinking about school; Azusa was in her first hour. Still no good. The club? No way would that work. That was the only reason they knew each other.

Heck, even when she tried to think about her little sister, who was walking alongside her, her thoughts made their way back to Azusa. After all, Azusa and Ui were good friends! Yui submitted to her own mind, and let her thoughts fill with memories of Azusa, looks, feelings, whatever you could name off. Yui's brain was a powerful thing... it just had to focus first, and that focus was hard to break.

Ui knew by the concentrated look on Yui's face, a look she checked to see if it had gone often during the walk, that conversation would be pointless between them. Albeit seldom, when Yui focused on something small talk couldn't shatter her focus. Unless Ui was giving discipline, or had something extremely urgent to announce, Yui was unbreakable.

Almost. "Yui-cha~n!" echoed out from behind the two, causing Yui to trip, stumble, recompose, and look behind her. "Yui-chan!" Came again, and this time Ui looked. The first time, she had been too focused on her Onee-chan, making sure she wouldn't fall, but now... She saw a small figure in the distance, almost angelic with the sun at her back. Ui stopped for a second and tilted her head as she watched the silhouette come into view.

It took her a second, but she finally recognized the silhouette as Tsumugi. Ui hadn't really ever spent any alone time with Tsumugi, but she had had her over whenever Yui brought the Keion club home with her. "Mugi-chan!" Yui shouted excitedly from Ui, causing the poor girl to jump slightly. So much screaming before 7:00 in the morning couldn't be healthy.

Yui ran right past her recovering sister and dashed towards Tsumugi, wrapping her in a tight hug. Tsumugi blushed slightly in a mixture of shock and glee, amazed that Yui had granted her one of the rare hugs. Mugi could only remember two other occasions that Yui had granted such a tight hug, and it always felt good. She smiled at Yui, unsure of whether to return the hug or what. They were so rare; Mugi was dumbstruck when they actually occurred.

Yui pulled away after only a few seconds, which left Mugi with that same blissful smile on her face. She had a great smile, Ui remembered that about her. At the holiday gathers and the study sessions, Mugi's smile always seemed to brighten the room. It was such a warm smile. "What are you doing up so early?" Yui asked excitedly.

"I decided to take the train in to school today." She said with a smile. The Monday trains always left about an hour earlier. She always had her pick from a limo ride to school, or taking the train... but Mugi liked the public surroundings. The limo always seemed so snooty to her, it was always so... stuck up. Not that her driver was, and not that she was, but the aura of the car was that way. The train was so much better. "I should be asking you the same thing Yui-chan!"

"I couldn't sleep..." She admitted as they walked over to where Ui was standing. Mugi gently waved to Ui, causing the smaller girl to offer a timid wave back. They began walking towards the school once more. "And since Ui always gets up early anyways, we decided to go to school early today."

"You decided to go to school early..." Ui corrected her, smiling lightly, "You took me with you." Mugi giggled slightly at this. It was kind of a weird situation to her, she had never been around Yui and Ui alone before, but it was serene in a way. While they were at the Hirasawa household, Ui always took the role of the caretaker, a lot like the role Mugi took in the club room. But when Ui wasn't taking care of a group of people, Mugi realized that she was just another girl.

"Ui-chan..." Yui whined slightly, almost unnecessarily. Yui had a cryptic code with her little sister... and Mugi simply watched in confusion and silent amazement as Yui hung her head and Ui reached over to pat her on the back. She had no idea what had just happened... but Ui and Yui both did. Even though Mugi didn't even know why, Ui appeared to be comforting her big sister.

Conversation died down again as the strange trio continued to walk along. Mugi was bright eyed and bushy tailed, even if the girl was exhausted, neither Yui nor Ui could tell. Ui was the same way; she didn't show her exhaustion either. She was used to getting up so early, and even though they left the house earlier, Ui hadn't wasted energy cooking or waking her stubborn sister. If anything, she was more awake than usual.

Yui was not. Despite her eagerness to meet up with Azusa, the grandiose lack of sleep and sleeping in had really taken its toll. On a normal day, she wouldn't even be out of bed by this point... and it was showing. It took a while, but Yui eventually began to half her speed, her steps became staggers, and eventually... almost as soon as they were at the school grounds, Yui had settled in a bench and drifted off.

Both Ui and Mugi had watched it all, walking in silence and adapting their walking style to Yui. Slower... slower... slower still... and finally, stopped. They both looked down at Yui, who had conked out on the school bench, with a mixture of apathy and empathy. Apathy for the fact that Yui wasn't even stoic enough to make it to school, when she had practically rushed poor Ui out of the door over an hour early. The empathy came from the fact that Ui was tired from getting up early in the mornings anyways, and she had sympathy, and Mugi had to catch the early train. All three girls were tired after all.

But Yui was by far the weakest in her resolve to stay up. And of course, just as Ui had predicted, Azusa was not in attendance when they arrived. Just because they showed up earlier didn't mean Azusa would. But hey, when Yui actually had set her mind to something, Ui knew that she was pretty powerless to prevent it from happening. And that morning, Ui could tell that Yui was far more determined to show up at school early than she had ever been in the past.

But... perhaps not all was for naught. She found herself occasionally glancing over at the bright eyed blond standing just on the other side of Yui, who was trying her hardest to get back to her feet. This Tsumugi girl was offering warm words to Yui, trying to get the obviously exhausted and over taxed brunette to her feet... and Ui just found herself watching. 'She has really pretty eyes...'

However, eventually Yui got up, albeit having quite a bit of difficulty doing so. She was tired, and that had caught up with her. Who cares who serene the place was?! She was tired, and she wanted to sleep... and only the silent promise her mind had made to itself was keeping her from falling to the ground and snoozing until class started. That silent promise was that Azusa would be there once Yui managed to get into the building, and to the music room.

With Mugi there, they could have cake and tea, which would help. Caffeine and sugar, a recipe for disaster in Yui's case most of the time, just a burst of quick and usable energy before an inevitable and devastating crash, which usually prevented her from doing just about anything. But hey, it could be used to keep her awake during her first and second hour, and her third hour was a study hall, so why would she care?

"Come on Yui-chan!" Mugi said, now cradling the brunettes arm over her shoulders, dragging Yui along. Ui couldn't help but notice... to tow along a practically subconscious Yui like that... Mugi had to be pretty strong. Despite having such a petite form, and having quite the struggle moving Yui in that fashion, Mugi was a pretty strong girl. That was kind of cool, to Ui at least.

"Ui!" Mugi finally cried out, almost dropping herself and Yui to the ground, as the weight became just a bit too much for her to bear all alone. Yui had pretty taken Mugi for granted in her service, and was now relying on Mugi alone to tow her up to the music room and to Azusa. Well... where she thought Azusa might be... but it was the principle of the thing. The point really was, Yui was tired, and she wasn't going to be moving any more than she already had.

Ui noticed the shout, and darted the short distance, grabbing her sister's other arm and hooking it around her shoulders. She wrapped her arm around Yui's shoulders, only to find Mugi's already there... which almost made her jump. Thankfully, being the more composed of the Hirasawa sisters, she simply moved her hand so it was no longer touching Mugi's.

She looked over apologetically, but her look melted as she saw Mugi's warm smile once again, this time directed at her. "Thanks Ui!" Mugi said with a sweet, buttery voice, one that almost made Ui lose her balance. She blushed and nodded, looking away from Mugi's soft features and towards the destination.

With little more excitement, except for almost dropping Yui on the stairs, all three made it to the music room. Yui actually helped for the final push, excitement once again welling up inside of her to stifle her exhaustion... if only for a second. Mugi and Ui almost fell as they got to the top of the stairs and Yui shot out of their arms, towards the door of the music room, looking back towards them to see if they were coming at all. It was as if she hadn't slept at all. "Come on!" She whined, looking towards the door, then back at the two girls. "I wanna see Azu-nyan!"

Mugi hadn't been told THAT was why Ui and Yui were walking to school so early. "Uhh... Yui-chan," She only got that far into her sentence when she realized the same thing Ui had... The look on Yui's face was more than enough to tell Mugi that words meant nothing. They probably wouldn't even penetrate into Yui's brain; the only way she would find out is to with her own eyes.

So, without much delay, Ui and Mugi followed. To Mugi however, as they made their way the short distance to the music room... it seemed that Ui was walking a tad close. Not that she really minded, there was nothing wrong with sharing personal space in her book, but it did strike her as a bit odd. Perhaps it was just her, but she could have sworn that she brushed arms with the slightly smaller girl at one point.

She brushed it off, and caught up with Yui. The third year brunette wasted no time throwing the doors open. "Azu-nyan!" She shouted into the unsurprisingly vacant room. She stepped inside, sticking her head in and about, looking for the Kouhai, desperately searching for her Azu-nyan. Mugi stepped inside after her, smiling slightly as she watched Yui, just waiting. Ui tepidly made her way in after Mugi, even after having been in the room so much, it still felt like foreign territory. Heck, she had only been in here what... three times? And once under the guise of her sister even.

She actually found herself looking around the room; it was pretty well set up... she barely even noticed the thud of Yui hitting the floor in dismay. Finally, after a good couple of minutes of searching the room, desperate to find where Azusa was hiding, reality had caught up with the third year.

* * *

Woo! Finally the tenth chapter is here! And a hint to our "mystery" pairing!

Thanks to everyone who left a review, it really means a lot to know what you guys are thinking of what I'm writing, heck, it's what helps me to write! I know some of you are a tad disappointed that it's not moving quicker, but your standard romance novel is usually over 100,000 words... and that's hooking up two straight people! I got a lot of work to do here!

Don't worry, everything will work out in the end and there will be plenty more action, as well as emotional progression, I just don't wanna rush it all at once and hook up the characters just to get it out of the way. Sorry if it's a slow mover.

I'm glad to see lots of people still reading, and even a few new readers! Leave a review if you get a chance!

Thanks again!


	11. Chapter 11

When Mio sat down in her homeroom, she didn't move. She didn't look around. She didn't check to see what Mugi or Yui was up to. She ESPECIALLY didn't check to see what Ritsu was doing. No no, that was to be avoided at any and all cost. Not that she didn't care, she was worried if anything. After what she pulled yesterday, a bolt out of the blue, she wasn't really up for the task of approaching and engaging Ritsu about it, especially not if her friend prompted her for an explanation of the contact. She just didn't have it in her. Plus the fact that she was worried about what Ritsu might say.

Little did she know, she wasn't the only one who had gotten a full night's sleep in the group. If she had looked over, she would have noticed Mugi struggling to stay awake, and despite her best efforts, every minute or so, her eyes would slowly drift close and her head would drop, before bobbing back up. She hadn't been asleep by 10:30 the night before, Mio had succeeded in confusing her enough to keep her up until midnight, and that was a foreign feeling for her. Especially with having to catch the bus.

Yui was... worse than she usual was. In some homeroom classes, like the Thursday or Friday prior, she was bright eyed and bushy tailed, just like Mugi, but others she was exhausted... like when prompted to practice. However today, she was absolutely beat. Her head was on her desk. Mugi was at least trying to stay up, albeit having little success, but Yui wasn't even giving that much. She was sleeping, plain and simple.

Mio didn't notice either of these things, and she especially didn't notice that her best friend was more than wide awake. Ritsu looked like she had drunk three cups of coffee, and was looking around the room, even looking direct at Mio. She didn't care; the hug was a good thing to her, despite Mio's inhibitions about it. But Mugi wasn't much in the mood for conversation, she looked like a zombie... and Ritsu knew that she could have hit Yui with a stick and not gotten any response.

The reason for her being so awake? Unlike the other girls, who were kept up by thinking or apprehensions, Ritsu had the ability to pass her time by sleeping. Sure, she did some thinking, but it made her tired. The fact that she hadn't slept much the night before, combined with her eagerness to progress her relationship with Mio even more... she had fallen asleep before Mugi usually did, and had squeezed every bit of sleep she could out of that morning. With around ten hours of sleep under her belt, she was pumped for whatever Mugi would give her to do.

But, Mugi was in no position to give advice or orders, not a chance. Ritsu couldn't even help Mugi, every time she tried to talk to the exhausted creature, she would say a few things, and almost nod off. She had been fine when she walked in but... sitting down had caused her breathing to slow and her eyes to droop. Ritsu just kicked back, Sawako rarely took role nowadays; she just counted.

Mio simply sat straight forward. She wasn't nearly as tired as Mugi or Yui, and she couldn't even sleep in class. She was lost in her own world, thinking... until she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Mio?" She heard, causing her to jump slightly, taking in a sharp intake of breath. "Are you ok?"

Mio turned her head to see where the voice was coming from... Nodoka. Of course! Mio felt a bit unsure about this at first but... she warmed up to the girl almost instantly. After all, she had to talk to someone about this, but didn't want to risk it with Ritsu just yet. If Ritsu was upset, Mio didn't know what she might do. Besides, Nodoka had helped her through all of this so far, aside from receiving a bit of advice from Mugi. "I'm fine, just a little tired." Mio finally said, smiling a little.

"Ahh ok." Nodoka said, returning Mio's smile with one of her own. "How was your weekend?" She asked cautiously. To most, that was a simple, common, small talk kind of question... but Nodoka knew Mio had been having some difficulties in life, all dealing with the noisy, forgetful brunette across the room, who was looking more bored than anything else without Mugi or Yui for conversation.

"It went well..." Mio said, feeling her heart pound just a little bit harder in her chest. "I went out on Sunday for coffee... with Ritsu..." At this point, her heart was now pounding at a deafening level to her. She could feel her heart beating in her toes, but that wasn't even the end of it. She had started this conversation, and she knew, it would end up with an unsure confession.

"Oh really?" Nodoka asked, leaning in a bit more. "Did you narrow your options?"

Mio nodded weakly, a blush running rampant across her pale face, and blush that Nodoka took quite the notice to. She pulled away slightly unsure if she had treaded on sore territory. "Well that's good. Just keep up with that..." She said, before turning to the front of the class. She really hoped she hadn't offended Mio.

And she hadn't. Though Mio had fallen silent, and Nodoka had turned to the front of the class slightly worried, the conversation wasn't quite over yet. Mio had Nodoka's phone number, but what a waste of minutes! The midnight haired girl slid a note across Nodoka's desk, her hand shaking like mad. Mio actually thought it was a good thing conversation had stopped, her heart beat was practically all she could hear, aside from the faded murmur of her classmates random discussions.

Nodoka noticed the note, and looked over at Mio, who was taking deep breaths, as stiff as a board. She slowly unfolded the note, to see that Mio had written, "_Yes... I narrowed my options. I think there is only one option left though..._"

Mio got the note back, looking over at Nodoka who had a warm smile on her face. Mio gingerly unfolded it, passing notes felt so strange to her. She was alone in most of her classes, aside from Biology and Philosophy, but in both of those classes, she could talk to her friends. She could have now... but there was no way she could understand them, or even form a coherent sentence. "_What's that?_" was the entire reply. A bit anti-climactic Mio thought, but Nodoka didn't really seem like the climactic type to her. Anything but actually.

She scribbled down a note, almost dropping her pen three times while writing the short hand, and folding up the paper was a filthy mess. She couldn't even manage that simple task, much less anything else. She slowly slid the note over to Nodoka, who noticed quite a few more crinkles in the poorly folded note. She could hardly wait to see what Mio had written, if Mio was having this much difficulty folding a paper.

Nodoka slowly unfolded what was folded of the paper, and looked at the message scribbled on it. Then she looked at Mio, who was staring straight forward with a major blush smeared across her face, looking both incredibly anxious and just a little bit jumpy. The brunette took another glance at the message and then scribbled her own underneath it without any concern or worry, before sliding it back to Mio.

The dark haired girl jumped slightly as the paper came in contact with her skin. She honestly felt like she had seen a ghost, she was jumping her leg up and down almost constantly, and she had totally blocked out everything going on around her. She actually screamed a little bit as the paper touched her skin, causing the brunette next to her to jump slightly. She looked around, only to see the piece of paper. It made her soul sink just looking at the now neatly folded scrap.

With a trembling hand, she reached down and grabbed it. She didn't much need to unfold it by the time she got it at reading distance... her shaking had pretty much taken care of unfolding the paper for her. She almost threw the paper down; she didn't want to know what Nodoka might think of what she had written. But that time in this situation was over... she had to read it.

She slowly looked down at the paper, taking sharp intakes of breath to stay conscious while she looked at the note. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and looked where Nodoka had written.

Then instantly deflated. Her head hung in shame, and she exhaled almost all of her breath at once. She looked at the paper in almost disbelief.

Below her message, Nodoka had drawn an arrow pointing to it, with a message underneath that said, "_What does this say?_" She couldn't believe it... but upon looking at the writing she had scribbled on the note... even she didn't know what it said. Since when did she have illegible hand writing? Since falling in love...?

Mio however, took this moment of shame and calm within her body to write down another message, along the general lines of the first, but this time her hand writing was crisp and professional... not as much as normally, more like a twelve year... but better than before. She slid the note over to Nodoka, the nervousness returning the moment it hit the brown haired girl's desk.

Mio's hand didn't move from the top of the note. Nodoka grabbed the edge of the paper, but Mio's hand was holding it down like a vice, and there was no way Nodoka was going to be able to remove it without tearing it. She looked at Mio, who was looking down at the ground, shaking and whimpering slightly as she held her death grip on the note. Nodoka carefully extended her other hand and lifted Mio's fingers slightly, enough to slip the note out. Mio's hand hit back on the desk as soon as Nodoka, and receded back, off the edge of the desk, into Mio's stomach.

Nodoka quickly glanced at the note, looking over the writing Mio had scribbled. A mixture of both confusion and understand washed over her as she read what Mio had written. "_I hugged her... it was the first time in a while. But it was different this time, I enjoyed it way more than ever. I don't even know where it came from... it just kind of happened._" Nodoka looked at the note... and felt a poke against her elbow. She looked down, to see Mio, sliding her another piece of paper.

Mio's composition hadn't change, she was still a nervous wreck, but Nodoka took the second note anyways. On it, Mio had had added, "_It was... more enjoyable than it used to be._" Or something like it... Mio's hand writing had degraded once more, but Nodoka understood it entirely. She thought she knew exactly what Mio was trying to say. Even if she was making it cryptic. On the new note that Mio had given her, she wrote a small message and handed it back.

Mio took a deep breath as she took the note. Her nervousness now was replaced by subtle agony and acceptance for whatever might come of it. Mio was ready to accept the consequences of what she had written and given to Nodoka. She was almost floating as she unfolded the paper, like a convict on trial for murder, reading her own sentence. Mio had pretty much accepted her fate. She looked down at the message, "_Do you 'like' her?_"

Mio was a little surprised by the lack of tact in the question, but homeroom wasn't going to last forever. She looked over at Nodoka, who was looking at the paper to see what Mio was going to write. She stared at Nodoka, burning holes in the top of the girl's head, until she looked up. Once Nodoka was looking straight at her, she simply shrugged, as if to say "maybe".

It wasn't that simple of course, but class was due to end in less than a minute, so dragging on any further with the nerve wracking passage of notes would have been pointless. Mio was more in the, "I may like her." area of infatuation, rather than the, "Yes, I want to marry her" area. She was still shaky, but she did know that she had some class of attraction to Ritsu. That hug yesterday had felt better than it had in the past... being that close with Ritsu, feeling her warmth.

Mio had thought about that hug all night, it had kept her up. She got sick of replaying it in her head after about the third hour of constant rewind and replay of it... but she just had to make sure. The thing that really had sealed the deal for her was how the hug felt... particularly how Ritsu's curves had hugged her own.

She remembered how thin Ritsu's shirt was, a really light, almost see-through gray with some design on the front. As she hugged, she could practically feel Ritsu underneath it, she could feel Ritsu's warmth resonating from the drummer. She remembered how their breasts had brushed into each other, fairly inevitable considering gender... but nice all the same. It felt incredible to have Ritsu that close to her, feeling that almost paper thin material sliding against Ritsu's warm back, and soft skin. She almost wished that shirt wasn't there at all.

Maybe a tad superficial, sure, but that was how most relationships started, and Mio definitely liked how Ritsu felt. Even though the hug hadn't been that long, she could remember every detail vividly. And yes, that had been the deal breaker.

Nodoka understood and smiled, that was all she needed. She knew not to ask any more questions. "Good for you." She said in a whisper, leaning in to get close to Mio so only she could hear. The fact that Mio had opened it up as an option, it would only make things easier from there. "If you need to talk or anything, text me."

Class got out right then and there, and Nodoka gathered her stuff, leaving a slightly amazed Mio stuck in thought. Not a huge thought, more relief than anything... and amazement. Nodoka was a way better friend that Mio had expected after a confession like that... and she was a resource.

* * *

Though it took Mio a few minutes to get out of her desk, she still managed to get to her first hour without trouble. Ritsu had left homeroom before her, probably while she was lost in thought, and had already taken her normal seat towards the back of the class. Mio entered the room, still with a minute or two to spare... which was far later than she usually showed up.

And the cost?

There were only two open desks available, her own, and the one right next to Ritsu. Mio usually had more desks to choose from, but she was nearly late to class... and thus was left with those two.

And the strangest thing... Mio found the desk next to Ritsu far more tantalizing than her own. Sure sure, on a normal day it wouldn't have taken any thought to chose her normal desk... but today wasn't a normal day was it? No, not even by a long shot, not after what she had just told Nodoka... and basically told herself. She hadn't really said it in words yet, not to herself, but now it was out. She may "like" Ritsu, as Nodoka had so eloquently phrased it. But albeit some quite a few doubts, Mio knew that her friendship with Ritsu wasn't as normal as it had been less than a week ago.

And, despite her nervousness, she wanted to be close to Ritsu. Not too close of course, it was too early for that... but closer than she had been in the past. It was only natural right? Of course it was.

With that thought in mind, Mio rearranged her mental seating chart, making a slight alteration to her mental lay out to the room. Even though she felt like all eyes were on her as she moved up the aisles, she was on a mission at this point. Before she knew it, she was sitting down, right next to Ritsu. A very surprised Ritsu at that, but Mio didn't take notice of it. She was trying to calm her heart, and act casual as she took out her materials. It was odd, she felt so nervous sitting down next to Ritsu, like the act was an invasion of Ritsu's space... but it also felt normal, and... right.

And Ritsu did take notice of Mio, but not until she skipped over her usual aisle and into the desk right next to her own. At this point in time, Mio might have had some inhibitions and nervousness about sitting so close to the girl who she now considered her crush, but Ritsu was absolutely boggled by the gesture. She didn't show it or anything, that would have let Mio know that something was up. So she just kind of looked at Mio, with a small smile. "Hey there."

"Hi." Mio said, looking towards Ritsu slightly before flinching mid gaze and staring down. It didn't take a psychologist to tell she was nervous about this. But hey, she was determined to at least make an effort to be around Ritsu. Brush or not, they were best friends... if not a little more. And you never know if you'll like something until you try it. Just like the hug.

Mio quickly diverted herself back to unpacking her stuff for that day in class. Apparently the girl who normally sat in this desk had moved away, so Mio didn't have to worry about moving. When prompted during role, she simply explained that she had switched seats. She thanked God that the teacher didn't ask why, because she wasn't sure she could come up with an answer. Not on the spot like that. She was tired, and flustered.

However, as class droned on, things became more normal in the classroom. Ritsu went to sleep, or at the very least, feigned sleep REALLY well. Mio took notes on the boring, almost useless lecture that the teacher was droning on about. Although her stomach was still swimming, things seemed to be drifting back towards normality. The sick, nervous feeling in her stomach was actually helping to keep her awake in class though. She hadn't slept much, but nervousness was easily outweighing her drowsiness.

She had completely forgotten that she was tired.

Ritsu... well despite getting a reasonable amount of sleep, she always found a way to be tired. Even whilst playing drums, she could find a way to be tired, and she wasn't the quietest drummer in the world. Besides, she wasn't nervous, she was a little confused if anything. Not a lot, Mio may just be getting out of her funk and becoming a little more comfortable again... or something else.

'Maybe...' Ritsu thought, shifting sleeping position slightly in her desk so her arm wouldn't fall asleep, 'Just maybe... I've rubbed off on her...'

The brunette smiled at the thought, the thought she may have just rubbed off on her best friend, and that they may be able to further their relationship. Become more than friends. Become lovers.

Mio noticed a small blush and smile on Ritsu's face as she stole a look at her current object of obsession. She wondered what might be going through the girl's mind at that moment, screw philosophy, who even cared about this stuff? Boring old guys who had to teach it to inattentive high school students, that's who! Besides, there were so few assignments in that class, everyone had an "A" regardless of what they did.

But for some reason, Mio couldn't just let Ritsu sleep. She had the odd feeling that if they missed something today in lecture, it would be important. She had no idea why of course, nothing ever important happened in that class, aside from a glare from your best friend that basically turned your world upside down on itself. But it was a duty of hers, if Ritsu fell asleep; she would always swoop in and save her from missing anything in their most useless class.

Plus the fact that she wanted the opportunity to see if Ritsu still felt the way she had not twenty-four hours ago. Mio really wanted to see if it was a fluke. Maybe Ritsu's shirt was what made her feel so warm and soft, and so incredibly smooth. But enough of that, Mio snapped out of her trance and reached over to shake Ritsu's arm. She slowly moved her hand around the brunette's bicep, and squeezed slightly.

Ritsu didn't stir, but Mio turned several different shades of red before settling on "crimson". She never realized how firm Ritsu's arms were before... maybe from the little drumming she actually did. They were still slender, and still very feminine, but so firm. And what's more, Ritsu was just as warm as she was the day before.

Ritsu did wake however, as Mio began to tremble. Her lip beginning to quiver and her hand shook. Mio was terrified, her hand felt like it was filled with lead, she couldn't even let go. Her grip tightened slightly, out of pure nervousness, and that combined with the shaking to give Ritsu quite the wake up call. Or grab.

"Mio...?" She asked in a whisper curiously, looking up at the girl grabbing her arm. "What are you doing?"

"N-Nothing!" Mio practically shouted, in a whisper of course, and withdrew immediately. She tucked her hands between her legs and looked down at her desk, like a kid caught with her hand in the candy jar. "I was... I was just waking you up."

"Ohh um... Thanks." Ritsu had to stop and think... she could still feel where Mio's hand had been wrapped around her arm. She could still feel her warmth... and of course, she hadn't been holding lightly. Her death grip had left its mark, but Ritsu didn't mind that one bit. Now she was trying to decide why Mio was deep red, and extremely tense. "Everything ok...?"

"Y... Ya!" Mio said quickly, looking up at the board, grabbing her pencil, and taking random notes down once more. Now she was just trying to look busy, and Ritsu knew that fairly well... but she decided to let Mio get away with it. No sense in pushing a sensitive subject, besides, she found herself being consumed by a fury of optimistic thoughts.

Ritsu knew something was up with Mio, but it wasn't the same as it was in days prior. Everything was looking more and more hopeful.

* * *

Class passed quickly from there on out. It was very easily to pass the time when Mio was doing her damndist to stay focused the entire time and stay out of Ritsu's gaze. Even though she knew that Ritsu was occasionally looking at her from the corner of her eyes, she wasn't going to acknowledge that. She couldn't bear to do so.

Ritsu on the other hand, she was busy thinking about other things, like how well the plan that she and Mugi had been working over was going. Her optimism knew no bounds when things started looking promising, just like the moment After School Tea Time was formed, she decided that no matter what, they would be going to Budokan. Senseless optimism perhaps, but at least with Mio, she had a reason to get her hopes up.

After all, she knew that Mio wasn't acting quite herself. It was kind of funny to see Mio like this, every time she got scared, she would act in a similar fashion. Maybe that's why Ritsu scared her so much, she always seemed so adorably helpless, just begging for someone to pull her into a tight hug and not let go until everything was better.

But of course, if Ritsu tried that, there was a VERY strong chance that she would wreck everything that had been built up over the last few days permanently... and what a waste that would be. It may wreck everything forever... and even though Ritsu desperately wanted to throw her arms around Mio and tell her not to worry, she exercised the little self restraint she usually had to stop herself.

Class ended almost abruptly, neither Mio nor Ritsu was expecting the bell. Ritsu was too focused on happier days that were coming in the not so far future, and Mio was still focused on keeping her attention away from Ritsu and towards the front of the room, furiously scribbling down notes that weren't even written on the board. Basically, she was just writing down as many words as she could so she could look focused and busy, a self defense mechanism she had, and the bell had broken that. She almost fell out of her desk as the chime-esque sound echoed through the classroom.

Both girls took a few seconds to shake off their respective focused states, and get all their stuff packed up. Ritsu took a little less time considering... well... she had no stuff out. She considered bringing a pillow with her to that class, but aside from that, she had no supplies whatsoever. Mio only had a few, which were quickly tucked into her bag.

Mio left quickly, trying to sneak away, but Ritsu easily kept her pace. She had to make it seem like things were normal, she knew how Mio got when she was worried. She had seen it in the past, through primary school, and even in the earlier years of secondary school. Heck, even the last few days. She quickly caught up with Mio, and tapped her on the shoulder. "Mio?"

Mio stopped in her tracks as Ritsu touched her shoulder, the feeling of lead filled her feet. Though she wanted to leave, she had little option. "Yes?" She asked quickly, turning her head only slightly to see Ritsu out of the corner of her eyes. Eye contact would have been impossible at that point in time, Mio probably would have had an aneurysm.

"Thanks for waking me up today, I'll see you at lunch!" The amber haired girl said, before waving to Mio and taking her leave in the opposite direction. Not... the smoothest thing to say, a bit disjointed, but Ritsu needed something to say and it was the first thing that came to her mind. Besides, she was grateful for Mio waking her... not necessarily the waking part, but she loved the method.

She decided that it was an "okay" thing to say, and Mio wouldn't have to worry AS much now, even though she was sure she still would. But she couldn't worry about that now. As she dashed into Algebra she saw a flash of blond hair in the corner. It would be a busy period; she had a LOT of news for Mugi-chan.

* * *

Finally a look at what Mio is actually thinking, despite her tenacious efforts to deny her fate (at least in this fiction). About time too! And some fluff in there, which is always a plus in my book.

If you get a chance, please leave a review, I'd love to know what you guys are thinking about the story!

Thanks again!


	12. Chapter 12

Ritsu didn't waste any time, though the teacher of "College Algebra" was strictly against passing notes or text messaging in class, she knew that a decent text conversation could be carried out if she and Mugi were careful. Now, Mugi wasn't very careful, definitely not the stealthy type by make, but Ritsu was practically a master at it at this point in her life. She had been sneaking stuff past teachers since second grade, when she could write a full coherent sentence to put on a note.

So even though Mugi was terrible, Ritsu more than made up for it. The sneaky brunette didn't miss a beat; she scribbled down a message on a small piece of paper, and folded it up so masterfully it looked like nothing more than a scrap. She flicked it, and it landed right in front of Tsumugi, with an amazing precision. She didn't really need to be that good to beat nearly any teacher, but if she had learned in anything in all of her classes... well... passing notes was it.

It took Mugi a second to realize the scrap Ritsu had flicked at her was actually a note, but it didn't take long before she had unfolded it. Ritsu's print was tiny, barely even legible –but that wasn't that out of the ordinary-, but it was just enough for Mugi to be able to read it. "_You'll never guess what happened!_"

Mugi quickly scribbled beneath it, folded it up the best she could, and passed it back... less than discreetly. Class had just started, and the teacher was a bit distracted with taking roll and writing notes on the board. Ritsu quickly unfolded it and read Mugi's clearly legible message. "_What?_"

No big surprise there, though she'd wished Mugi had actually put forth some effort towards guessing... but oh well. She returned the note with little delay, flicking back in perfect folding form onto Mugi's desk.

The blond looked curiously at it with her deep blue eyes, careful to unfold it a second time, not wanting to tear the paper. Ritsu was excited, as Mugi watched her write her eyes were ablaze with passion, her hands trembling with unspoken excitement. She looked down at the note. "_Mio's falling in love!_"

Now... she had to look at that one for second. Then she had to remember who she was talking to. Then she had to look at it... again. She didn't really know what to make of that at first; it was kind of a strange thing to just randomly say, especially after what Mio looked like yesterday after their "date". Like she had seen a ghost basically... so where had this suddenly come from?

Now, Mugi knew that that had to be the extremely generalized version of the story. But obviously, Ritsu didn't have the space or the patience to tell the full version of the story on a small scrap of paper in the middle of the Algebra class she was getting a C in. But still, even that short sentence was a little surprising, despite the back story behind it... but then again, it was Ritsu.

So in an effort to realize the situation, Mugi returned the note, with a small message that said, "_What happened?_" before passing it back, barely averting the teacher's watchful gaze. Ritsu quickly snatched the note, careful not to get caught, and read Mugi's message. Without delay, she began scribbling down the events from earlier that day, shaking with excitement as she riddled the paper with her chicken-scratch.

Mugi had a little time to think, and as she thought through what Ritsu had written, she actually realized something. She liked it when Ritsu was chasing after Mio... it meant that she got to help out with stuff. Ritsu had been talking with her a lot recently, phone calls, text messages... and Mugi really liked getting the attention. It broke the aura monotony that her room and household tended to have. And what would happen after Mio and Ritsu hooked up? Would it be back to how it was before? Or would it be even more... lonely?

She certainly hoped not, and she took Sawako's words to heart. She still admired the sensei with a deep passion, and she trusted that Sawako was right about karma. After all, it was a widely accepted thought on life. Not that many people could be wrong about something right? Of course not!

She brightened up again; she hated that stupid lonely feeling that would occasionally creep up on her. Besides, this wasn't about her, Mio and Ritsu were her priority right now. Despite her small, minor inhibitions, she had committed to this, and if it didn't work out, she would feel terrible. Ritsu cared so much about this, and if Mio actually was "falling in love", then she had done a good job.

She noticed the small piece of paper fly by her eyes and land on her desk, then watched Ritsu as she carefully turned back towards the front of the class. Mugi took a deep breath, before carefully unfolding the note. She was always worried she would rip these, especially the way Ritsu folded them. She carefully undid the folds and looked at the long, disjointed message scratched onto the paper.

Though it was hard to make out, Mugi got the gist of it. Though she was guilty, she was glad it wasn't as drastic as Ritsu made it seem. Mio was just acting strange again, from what Mugi gathered out of the almost cryptic note, and there was nothing out of the ordinary about that. Mio was acting a bit strange, and the hug had been totally out of the blue as far as Tsumugi was concerned, but she didn't gather anything else.

If anything, Mio was getting gutsier. On Thursday, she wouldn't have even touched Ritsu, and almost had a heart attack when Ritsu inadvertently grabbed her hand in Biology class. Ritsu however, she'd been unconscious and hadn't been able to notice that. Of course, Ritsu knew that Mio was acting a little more differently than she had been over the last five days, and Mugi was still working on figuring it out.

Mio actually pulling Ritsu into a hug was quite the surprise for the blond, and now Mio had been so daring as to not only sit next to Ritsu but also do something to her arm? Ritsu had said "stroking" in her note, but Mugi took that with a boulder of salt. After all, Ritsu often saw things through rose-colored glasses, where everything was better than it actually was. Mugi knew that Mio wouldn't have stroked Ritsu, especially not the arm. What a weird place to stroke someone who's sleeping!

She knew Mio was far more romantic than that, you don't write such beautiful music and not have a clue on how to be sensual. It just didn't mix! Besides, that would have been a huge step above a hug. A hug is a thing that some girls did to everyone, like Yui, so they weren't really considered a sensual part of every day society. It was practically common place now a days. But stroking? You don't stroke a stranger, you may hug on if you're really happy, but you definitely don't stroke someone you've never met... it may make them extraordinarily uncomfortable.

No, stroking was not something she could see Mio doing, not after how afraid of touching Ritsu she was not a few days ago. Even if Mio had fallen in love with Ritsu completely, Ritsu had given no inclination, at least not visibly, that she liked Mio back. No stuttering, no blushing, no fear... basically nothing out of the ordinary. And Mio wouldn't just come on to someone like that so blatantly, and definitely not in such a sensual way. Not a chance.

So Mugi wrote Ritsu's overly optimistic comment off as just that, "overly optimistic". But... she might have been on to something. After all, she did believe Ritsu that Mio had been touching her arm, and apparently pulled away when Ritsu woke up, with quite the blush on her face. Though Ritsu didn't specify the extent of the contact, aside from "stroked", Mugi knew that it was a huge step for Mio.

Heck, sitting next to Ritsu rather than her normal place in class was a big step to begin with. But actually gathering the courage to reach over and wake up Ritsu by contacting her arm... that was just another huge step. Now Mugi was left with a question. She wrote a small note back to Ritsu, "_Just stay on course. Act normal, compliment her casually, be yourself, and we'll see what she does._" And with that, Mugi turned to the front of the class to do some thinking.

Her main question to ask... does Mio's gutsiness mean she's realizing she's not interested...? Or does it mean she's realized she is?

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Lunch rolled around without a hitch, though Mio did some serious thinking in her second and third hours. She still wasn't entirely sure that she "liked" Ritsu, though she knew that there was definitely something up. She didn't really know if it was a sexual attraction or not, but she couldn't help but think about how great Ritsu's arm felt in her hand... how soft Ritsu's skin was, how firm yet feminine her muscles were, and how the warmth from her seemed to resonate through Mio's entirely body, from her head down to her toes.

There was no denying it, whenever she came in contact with Ritsu, it felt like her skeleton was on fire with a warm, comfortable, awkward blaze. She liked it; there was no denying that simple fact. When she and Ritsu touched, it was a whole new feeling to her, and although it felt a little awkward, it was worth it. There was nothing wrong with it, it comforted Mio as well, and although it made her blush to the point of near nosebleed, it was a feeling that she adored.

But, only for a short time... then it became just a little too much for her to bear. But, it was getting easier and easier to hold on to the feeling for a longer time, and it started to feel more and more normal.

She also knew that she wouldn't get that feeling in her body from any other person. She could think about when Yui had held her hands, or hugged her, and nothing came of it. Nor when she thought about when Mugi had hugged her for comfort, nothing came to mind at all... no flames in her skeleton, no warmth anywhere on her body. But the moment she thought about Ritsu, when they had held hands or hugged, or even that day... the warmth boiled up inside her almost instantly.

And even more, every time she thought about holding onto Ritsu's arm, she could feel her hand tingling where it had grasped Ritsu's arm. Mio didn't realize it, but every time she focused on that one incident, a small blush came on her face, and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Mio thought about it through those two hours, she really didn't need to worry about anything else since they were fairly easy classes, and she could afford another brain storming day. This seemed far more important anyways. At the end, once she had enough time to think about the hug, how firm Ritsu's arm was, and that warm feeling in her skeleton... she realized that "liking" Ritsu wasn't a bad explanation at all. A bit scary yes, she was worried about what others might think of it, especially Ritsu if she found out... but it was a strong possibility.

After all, she had never gotten that feeling from anything else... but in the end, she couldn't even say she had ever had a crush. Not in grade school, not one that she could recognize anyways. No guys that caught her eye. No one that made her nervous enough to look down at her feet and act completely different...

Except that was different now. And with everything Mio knew she was feeling, maybe she actually did have her first crush.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Lunch however wasn't as eventful for some as others, particularly Yui, who would have to be retaking her test. However, she as she dashed into the room, she didn't have a grimace of confusion on her face, nor a look of dread for losing her lunch to the dreaded test... no, she had a smile from ear to ear. Azusa followed in suit, right behind her "senpai", though in Literature class, it might have been the other way around considering how much more knowledgeable Azusa was in comparison.

Yui was all smiles for two reasons. The first was that she and Azusa were reunited over the excruciatingly long period of just over one day. They had gotten to talk for a little bit during their second hour together, but Yui took the surprising initiative to actually study. Azusa had mentioned something about "not getting to see her in class any more", and it set off alarm bells in Yui's scatter brained mind. She turned straight to her book and began studying it, not wanting to be ejected from the class, and separated from her Azu-nyan. That would ruin the rest of her third year!

Well... probably not, she would still get to see Azusa and all, but who cared about that? The point in her mind was, she wanted to see Azusa, especially for one of her more difficult and of course, boring classes. Her Azu-nyan always seemed to make time pass faster in that class, and made all of the bad grades and lectures a lot lighter on Yui's conscience, since she knew that she had something to fall back on.

The second reason she was smiling is because she was ready for this stupid test. She was nervous of course, but she had never studied harder on a certain subject than she had on that damn book, and although the millennia old text still made little to no sense in terms of plot and character development, Yui could probably recite the first chapter from memory by that point. She couldn't have been more ready to give her two cents in the form of a multiple choice Scantron.

Azusa wasn't as excited to be missing her lunch with whichever group of friends was available, but she was happy to see that Yui was excited. Though she wasn't expecting a perfect score from Yui, it would have been almost an impossibility considering the teacher had never given a hundred percent to anyone in their class, she did know Yui was confident. And confidence was the half the battle.

The teacher wasn't extremely excited to see Yui in her classroom, she wasn't too fond of the space cadet who would often spend more time distracting other promising students than actually studying, but she figured nothing could really go wrong with giving the test. After all, if Yui failed, Yui would be out of her hair. On the other hand, if Yui passed, then she would have a reason to badger the girl to pay more attention in class.

Azusa jumped slightly as she felt two arms wrap around her stomach and hold her tight, but it only took a second to realize what had caused it. "Good luck hug Azu-nyan!" Yui said quickly, before darting to the other side of the room towards her normal desk, leaving Azusa slightly dazed. She composed herself quickly, and turned towards her own desk.

She and a very excited Yui took a seat down at their desks, and were handed the retake copies. Azusa wasn't worried, if she got a higher score on this, it might raise her grade a percent or two, and if she did worse, the retake would be disregarded. She was more worried about Yui... because although she hadn't obsessed nearly as much about not seeing Yui, she still didn't want to be left alone in the class. It was mostly third years, and a friend was always nice to have.

She occasionally scribbled in an answer down on the Scantron paper, finding the retake just as difficult as the original. The problems flip-lopped themselves, which made it even worse... but this was a university-prep class, and it was designed as such. She imagined that that was exactly the kind of test they gave at the higher level education, so she trucked on through it.

It wasn't easy to take for her either, she found herself constantly getting distracted by other things. Mostly, it was the sound of tapping on Yui's desk, but it wasn't uncommon for a guitar play to tap subconsciously. Yui didn't do it often, usually only when she was thinking really intently on something... and Azusa took that as a good thing. Yui should be thinking about this test, it meant their future in that class together.

However, time seemed to drag on as lunch period passed, every second taking longer than the last, and each answer getting harder and harder to come up with. Azusa actually felt a headache coming on from the stress of trying to worry about not only improving her own score, but the far greater stress of wondering how Yui would do. She unwillingly found herself day dreaming about what life in that class might be like with her Yui-senpai to lighten her day up and brighten the mood of the room, enough to make it bearable.

She thought about the moon-princess as she answered one of the last ten questions on the test, but her mind shot straight back to what it would be like if Yui was gone and all the other intimidating seniors were the only ones left, no friends, just the intimidation of older people with more adapted skill sets.

She filled in another of the last five, thinking about the use of conflict to increase interest in the story, and then her mind shifted again. This time, she thought about how dull the room would be without Yui's smile or carefree attitude. How boring her class might be. How intimating the teacher might get once she lost her only friend and how much longer "silent reading" time would be without someone there to talk to.

As she filled in the last blank, thinking about how this book affected society at the time it was written, her mind diverted to thinking about how vacant the classroom would be with Yui there. How quiet it would be and how different it would feel without her Yui-senpai to pull her into a hug every now and then.

She didn't know why, but her mind was already set on the idea that Yui was as good as gone from the class. The test she had just completed was nothing short of difficult, definitely felt like a college level class to her. She began reviewing the answers, wondering what Yui might have answered on each of them based on their study session together on Saturday. There were so many things on here that they didn't even cover, so many things that the teacher asked that barely even tied in with the book. Such foreign, astronomic questions it was almost dismal.

The retake was even harder than the first one, probably because the teacher thought if she gave her students an extra weekend to study, she could make the test harder ten fold. Azusa looked over her answers, though she wasn't even thinking about the damn test. She didn't want to say good-bye to her senpai. It was only for one class, sure, but this was the only class she had without Jun or Ui, and it was by far the scariest! She needed Yui's bright smile, her warm hugs, her care-free attitude, and her light-heartedness. She needed a friend, someone to rely on when stress was high. She needed a companion in the mostly third year class. She needed someone to lean on.

She quickly brushed away a tear from her cheek, her mind having already decided that Yui was going to be leaving her class; all that studying had been for nothing. Well... almost nothing. Azusa did remember that afternoon fondly. But that wasn't the point.

However, her morbid thought patterns quickly shattered as she heard a sharp gasp from her teacher's desk. She looked over, and saw Yui standing there, her face vacant of expression, and the teacher staring at her with an equally blank face. "Hirasawa-Kun..." She muttered slightly, before looking back the test. "How on Earth...?"

Yui looked at her, same devoid expression, and shrugged. "An eighty-four percent?" The teacher continued, and upon closer inspection, Azusa realized the look of "expressionlessness" was actually one of "flabbergastedness". "How on Earth did you get this grade? Did you cheat?"

Yui looked at her for just a second, before shaking her head. "N-no! I just studied really hard with Azu-nyan! I promise!" Naturally, the teacher had no idea who the heck that was, but Yui motioned for Azusa. Azusa's expression had improved greatly, from morbid to almost euphoric. She didn't care about her own test! She had heard Yui's retake grade, and that meant that morbidity had no more place in her mind. Yui was staying, and she had gotten a really decent grade.

"Hmm... alright then." The teacher said, rolling her eyes in obvious disbelief. But that was it, she handed Yui her test, and Yui's eyes lit up with pride as she took it and went back to her desk. The teacher took off to lunch as soon as she could, leaving Azusa and Yui with the command to, "close to door behind you when you leave".

The next thing Yui knew, two arms had wrapped themselves tightly around her waist from behind. Really tightly. Maybe a little too tightly! She tugged at them slightly, it was hard to relish in a hug when you couldn't breathe, and much more difficult when your ribs were being crushed. But the girl who had pulled her into that death grip had no intention of breaking that hug. Not yet.

Not after what she had been through.

"Azu-nyan..." Yui cooed once she had enough air to do so. Azusa had clung herself tightly to Yui, she couldn't even describe the relief she felt knowing that Yui wouldn't be getting kicked out of the class. She hadn't even bothered to turn in her own retake, which had been done for quite some time; she was just far too elated. She pulled Yui into the tightest hug she possibly could the moment their teacher left, practically in tears.

She wanted to say something in reply, but she couldn't think of anything she could say to Yui. She was practically shaking with euphoria and relief; she couldn't even attempt to put those feelings into words. Instead, she nuzzled her head into Yui's back, hugging just a little tighter before relaxing a bit, to give her senpai room to breathe.

Yui was happy as well, but Azusa was still thoroughly attached to her back, and there was no way to return the hug with Azusa behind her. It would have been awkward to reach behind her and grab hold of whatever she could find; it wouldn't have felt nearly as lovely either. But... she couldn't just deal with being hugged and not hugging back. It just didn't work that way! She needed to give attention as much as she needed to give it.

So, using the small amount of space Azusa had left for her in her death grip of a hug, she slowly began to turn around. It was quite the task, and it would have been impossible if she was sitting down, but she managed to slightly contort herself so she could turn to face Azusa.

She didn't waste time either. The moment she was turned completely, she pulled Azusa into the tightest hug she could as well, though Azusa was still wrapped firmly around her midsection. So she grabbed onto whatever she found first, and pulled it tightly against her body.

The overall result? Azusa's head had been the only thing that Yui was able to grab onto, and when Yui hugged it into her, she pulled up slightly. Azusa was the first to react to it, when she realized that her head was not in Yui's stomach or back any more, it was slightly higher. In a softer place. A deep blush washed over her face, realizing where her head actually was.

Yui however, showed no signs of breaking the hug. None whatsoever, she was simply enjoying the contact, she didn't care where it was. That was, until she felt Azusa struggling. She thought about it for a second, before realizing that Azusa was no longer hugging, but rather trying to relinquish herself from Yui's grasp.

She let go of Azusa's head, and the younger girl shot back. Yui looked at her curiously, before realizing that Azusa was blushing deeply, and pinching her nose, holding her head straight up to the sky. She didn't get... had she deprived her Azu-nyan of oxygen? Was that why she was so red and her nose was bleeding?

Yui continued to contemplate while Azusa recuperated from the experience, and put her test on the teacher's desk. Azusa has finally stopped her nose bleed, but the blush stayed smeared on her face as the two left the classroom. Azusa knew that Yui didn't know what had happened, she could tell by the thoughtful expression on Yui's face and the remarkable silence around them as they walked. But maybe that was for the best. Maybe, it meant that Yui would pull her into another hug just like that. Maybe next time, it would last longer. Maybe next time, she could kiss her on the forehead like that Saturday. Or maybe, just maybe, a little lower. And maybe this time, Azusa would have the courage to thank her for it.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

A little more Azusa and Yui in this one, and a well deserved ending for them. I always knew that these two would move a little quicker than the others, if only by a little bit, and there is the evidence of it. Now I just need them to break the fourth wall.

If you get a chance, feel free to review!

I have no idea whats up with the line breaks on FF, it makes the chapter seem really disjointed. There in there, but FF isn't registering them. Please bear with me, there are three scene changes, but fanfiction isn't showing where I put the line breaks. I guess we'll just have to use our imagination. Sorry about that. For now, they are put down as (*SCENE BREAK*)'s. Sorry for this inconvenience!

Thanks for reading, another new chapter coming next week!


	13. Chapter 13

Lunch started off with what most would describe as a hell of a bang. Mio didn't even know what happened, it happened so quick she didn't even see it coming before the entire event had unfolded. She had arrived early to lunch with Mugi, Ritsu was obviously off doing something else, maybe getting a bit of food from the cafeteria or checking up with a teacher, so the two ate.

They had some casual conversation, Mio steered clear of even thinking about Ritsu, though she knew that Mugi could tell something was up. She had no idea what was going on behind the scenes with the golden haired girl, but she couldn't forget the phone call she had made on Saturday. And she was more than sure Mugi hadn't, she seemed different to Mio, slightly more happy than usual.

That phone call had been tough for Mio, but without that, she didn't think she would be where she was now. Definitely not willing open to tell Nodoka what she had told her, and she probably wouldn't have had the confidence to do a lot of things. Giving Ritsu that hug, or sitting next to her in philosophy... all of those took a lot of guts, but she was just following the advice that both Mugi and Nodoka had been giving her all along.

It wasn't awkward; conversation flowed between the two of them, Mio was actually happy to be spending a little time with Tsumugi, something she hadn't had a chance to do... ever. Mugi was as intelligent as she remembered, if not a little ditsy when it came to street smarts, but as smart as a whip. Mio was grateful to her, but she had no way of saying so without making the situation between them incredibly awkward. But, that wasn't something Mio wanted to deal with; it was already awkward enough between her and Ritsu. She didn't want more drama than she had already created, it would give her a migraine!

So the two girls ate their lunch, in happiness and flooded the from with a casual flow of conversation. It amazed both of them that they were able to talk so easily to the other, especially since they were both thinking about something else entirely. Maybe it was because they were thinking about the same thing... how well Mio was coming along. Mio wasn't exactly thinking about that, she was thinking about how much stuff had happened... but it was the same general principle.

Maybe it was just a little mind melding, but it was deep enough to direct their focus away from Ritsu coming into the room. Ritsu had been stopped momentarily at the end of second hour to discuss her grade in class, and how the teacher didn't want to see her fail, but she had finally caught up with the two of them. But she was in a rush, she didn't have but around twenty minutes left of her lunch period. So she hurried over to the table... but haste has its costs.

She hit the chair, but somewhere along the line she forgot to sit down. Instead, she careened over it, her leg hitting the edge of it and tripping her up, sending her over it. She dropped her paper bag lunch, but that was the least of her problems.

Mio had only seen the first half of this out of the corner of her eye, and it all happened so quickly, Ritsu was on top of her before she had even turned her head the whole way. Ritsu didn't hit lightly either, it wasn't a playful pounce, it was a full blown unintentional tackle.

Mio's chair fell with her, with Ritsu tightly holding on to both of them. Mio let out a small yelp, turning her body slightly to get away from her attacker, though there was little chance that would happen. Mio twisted her body, trying to at least get away from the chair and into a standing position, but that yielded little result. The chair got out of the way, but Ritsu was still ramming Mio closer and closer to the ground. What's more, now she was stumbling on her feet slightly, and was losing balance fast.

Ritsu was airborne the whole time she was in contact with Mio, the whole thing happening in but a split second, but both girls had time to think during their fall. Ritsu's arms braced around Mio in preparation for contact, and Mio stiffened up like a board as her body got ready to hit the floor. But, adrenaline kicked in, and both of them had time to fit one thought in.

Mio had a little time to think about how much of a hug this felt like, and how nice it felt being this close to Ritsu once again. Despite the situation at hand. She was bright red already. Ritsu had a little time to think about how this might interfere with her plan to get with Mio, if this might scare her off... but both girls were only thinking one thing as they hit the ground. "Ouch."

Mio landed first, hitting the ground at a curve to reduce the impact slightly, her body rigid with anticipation. Ritsu's hands had been placed in just the right spot to reduce pain in her shoulder blades, but her fingers dug in. It still knocked the wind out of her, hitting the ground after being tackled wasn't ever a fun experience. Having Ritsu land on top of her almost right afterwards didn't help with the pain of it either.

When Ritsu hit the ground, she didn't really. Her knees scrapped against the floor, which hurt slightly, and her foot kicked the chair, but aside from that she had Mio to break her fall. Not very sensitive to say, but it was true all the same. She didn't get the wind knocked out of her, nor did she have another girl land on top of her. But, this wasn't over. The tackle only became a catalyst for yet another event.

Ritsu realized that her head was tucked into the crook of Mio's neck, and her arms were still tightly wrapped around the slightly taller girl. She pulled her head up slightly to look at Mio, to see if she was unconscious, and she wasn't. She was staring right back, wondering the exact same thing.

Ritsu looked into Mio's eyes carefully, casting a soft, warm glance towards the other girl. Mio was already blushing slightly from both her thought earlier and the weight of having Ritsu on top of her, but that blush got just a touch brighter as she looked into Ritsu's eyes. Her gaze wasn't nearly as smooth; it looked scared and confused, though almost hopeful in a way.

Mugi saw the entire thing, and she couldn't have been more in heaven had she tried. Her imagination had run wild, though it didn't have much work to do to make the situation as graphic and risqué as she wanted. But her imagination didn't block her real vision, and she saw their eyes lock, the tension between them palpable from even her distance away from them. She went from vividly imagining the scene over and over in her mind back to a teenaged girl.

From her distance, it seriously looked like they were about to kiss, and her imagination took over. Their lips moved closer, Ritsu wrapped her hand around Mio's head, and Mio helped her move closer. Their lips moved closer, and their eyes closed slightly, less than an inch away from kissing...

But Mugi was brought back to reality. Just before the long awaited moment, a sharp smack heard through the room, almost leaving an echo. It took her a second to register what could have caused the sound, but it didn't take long.

No, there had been no kiss, just a strong look between the two girls, an almost understanding look for a split second... but Mio wasn't comfortable with it. Despite liking Ritsu's touch, she wasn't quite ready to have the girl lying on top of her, with her head buried in her neck. Mugi watched, disheartened, as Mio got to her feet and faced away from Ritsu. The brunette was holding her head, crouched on the floor, whimpering slightly. She had forgotten how hard Mio hit when the spirit hit her, and this wasn't just a play hit.

Mugi took a deep breath before exhaling slightly, if only everything in her head could come true. It would sure make her job a lot easier; she wouldn't have to do all this planning. But alas, it wasn't the case... but Mugi did know from that brief exchange of glances between the two that there was even more hope for Ritsu now. Mio was back to her scared stage again, but that was for the best. It meant progress, because now Mio wasn't afraid to touch her because she MIGHT like Ritsu. Now she was afraid to touch her because she DID like Mio.

"Owie..." Ritsu muttered, her ears ringing from the contact.

"Baka..." Mio said, her hands crossed over her chest and her head held high, probably trying to drain the blood from her face.

"I tripped..." Ritsu said honestly, getting to her feet, walking towards Mio. "I couldn't stop in time... it was an accident! I was running, I hit the chair, and I couldn't stop!"

"Why were you running in the first place?!" Mio replied hastily, content that her blush had nearly vanished from her face.

"I didn't wanted time to eat my lunch in peace, why didn't you move out of the way?!" Mugi smiled a little as she watched Ritsu and Mio turn from best friends –with special interests- to an old married couple. It was kind of ironic, but that was exactly how she envisioned them. Ritsu trying to flip-flop the argument in her favor, but Mio clearly with the stronger points and the upper hand.

Their argument ended with Ritsu shrugging and walking away, her way of admitting defeat, and eating her lunch. They had little time left before their fourth hour started, and Ritsu had to get some food in her. Mugi even poured her a little tea; caffeine would help with the headache Mio had given her, and took her seat. Mio sat next to Ritsu, after picking up and fixing her chair of course.

Despite only having a few minutes for conversation, the incident between the two had quickly been forgotten, as many of their arguments tended to do. Only major disagreements or incidents between Mio and Ritsu ever stuck. Even for a little while, grudges were hard to hold when they cared about each other as much as they did. Mio dismissed it as an accident, despite Ritsu's stupidity to have been running in the Music room.

They didn't talk about anything much, though Mugi did notice that Mio was being more quiet than she had been before Ritsu got there, once again a good sign. They were getting closer to their ultimate goal. As soon as Mio showed a real sign of how she felt, though Mugi could already pretty much tell, Ritsu could make her move. They just needed to break down Mio's inhibitions once again, and they would be set to go.

Though, that was a lot easier said than done. This would be Mugi's biggest challenge yet, and there wasn't much that she could do. She couldn't interfere with Mio's emotions, or Mio might think something was up, and there definitely was. Yet, Ritsu couldn't just back off, Mio didn't have the courage to chase after her if Ritsu stopped paying as much attention as she was. This was the fine line, and although most of it was on Mio's shoulders to get the courage to accomplish what was needed, Mugi and Ritsu still had their part.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Placid faced, Mio entered the Biology classroom. She was with the three other Keion girls, by nature at this point, but they were all fairly out of it. Ritsu was grumbling about a head-ache, one that she damn well earned, Mugi was deep in though, and Yui looked in an almost blissful... and slightly confused state. They all seemed out of it, but Mio was still in the moment, trying not to over think things.

But that brought along a very stubborn and blatant realization, and she realized as she entered the classroom that today was going to be her least favorite day of the entire year. The thick, musky, sour smell of formaldehyde could signal nothing more, a smell that Mio caught a whiff of in the hall, and sure enough, as she walked into the classroom... there they were. On every table, to be shared between two girls, a bull frog. She almost lost it, she couldn't even bring herself through the doorway into that dreaded room, she couldn't stand dead things.

So she stood there, her arms trembling slightly. She was definitely the squeamish type, and this dissection was NOT going to be a forte of hers. The other three girls had entered the class, Mugi and Yui engaged in a casual conversation as they moved towards their shared desk... but Ritsu had stopped.

She looked back behind her, the short distance, and saw the look of dread and despair on Mio's face. This was worse than if she had seen a ghost, because ghosts couldn't touch you and they couldn't hurt you. What Mio was seeing was real, dead things... things that she had to touch. And Ritsu could appreciate that. A silly mask or a toy spider was one thing... but even she was a little nervous to be cutting up the corpse of a frog. She wouldn't have trouble with it, but the idea of literally defiling a body was still extremely macabre.

But, she couldn't do it without Mio, and she wouldn't let Mio just stand in the doorway the whole time, about ready to pass out. She calmly walked back towards Mio, and calmly and slowly spoke. "Mio."

She new better than to put a comforting hand on Mio's shoulder or anything of that sort. When Mio got like this, a dust bunny would send her into the fetal position if it brushed against her. First, Ritsu had to break Mio's hypnotic state. "Mio, can you hear me?" Ritsu asked again, gaining no acknowledgement on the first go.

Mio shook her head a little bit, taking a small, harsh breath in. She looked at Ritsu, blushing slightly. Truth was, she hated being so afraid of things like this, she would have died to trade places with Ritsu. She couldn't even stand a cut finger or the sight of blood... how the heck was she supposed to dissect a frog? It wasn't just a tool for science as many people saw the frog corpses... to her they were little dead froggies with pins through their hands and feet. "Sorry..." Mio said, taking another shallow breath in.

"You gonna be ok?" Ritsu asked calmly, raising her eye brows as she looked at Mio. "You don't have to touch it you know, I can do it. Hell, I want to do that!" She said enthusiastically, hardly even lying. Though it was gross, it was also extremely interesting, almost like a right of passage. If she could do this, what couldn't she do?

Mio perked up slightly as she heard that. Not very much, and not visibly by any means, but Ritsu could tell it had helped. Mio nodded... but didn't move towards her desk. So once again, as she had done days prior, she reached out and grabbed Mio's hand.

Mio blushed at the gently touch of Ritsu's grab, slightly surprised by it... but it quickly became her safety. Ritsu would take care of this for her, she wouldn't have to defile the poor little creature in the dissection pan. Ritsu could take care of that for her... Ritsu would take care of it for her. She would protect her. Mio began the trek towards their desk with a few feeble steps.

Ritsu let go of her hand, it was an act of comfort, not an act of escort. Mio wasn't a child, despite how she acted when she got like this, and Ritsu wanted to preserve her pride. If she had to hold her hand all the way to their desk, the other students would take notice, and rumors would start to spread.

Ritsu sat down in her usual spot, hearing Mio's footsteps close behind her, not worrying about her at the moment. Looking down at the untouched frog in the dissection tray... it was enticing. To think she would actually cut it open, look at what made it work... to her, this was by far the best day in Biology yet. Screw cells, Mitosis, diffusion, or microbiology... all the stuff that Mio was great at. This was the kind of stuff Ritsu had waited for all year.

However, she quickly lost interest in the frog as she felt a hand wrap around hers, closing in a tight grip. It took a second, but she realized that Mio had grabbed it the moment she got a good look at the frog. Mio needed her safety back, and although it was Mugi in many cases, Mugi was at the other table... all the way at the other table. Ritsu's hand was enough.

It took a few seconds, but eventually Mio's grip on Ritsu's hand loosened, and then relaxed entire as Mio pulled away. She just needed a few seconds of safety to compose herself before she could move on. She didn't look at the frog; she looked at the board where their teacher was for the bell to ring.

Ritsu was actually glad when Mio finally let go... that girl had a strong grip! Probably from playing bass, but Ritsu didn't have a chance to prepare herself at all before her bones were being crushed into each other by Mio's devastating finger and hand strength.

The bell rang, and Ritsu could tell that their teacher was just as excited as she was, if not more so, to get started with dissection. "Good afternoon class," Mr. Raika started, "We have a lot to get done today, so let's not doddle. Please head to the back table and get yourself dissection scissors, a probe, a scalpel, as well as a dissection guide. It'll tell what cuts to make, and what questions to answer."

Ritsu was in the zone the moment he gave them the go. She turned to Mio, "Could you get the supplies for me?" 'Nurse Mio...' Ritsu thought the last part, but it brought a smile to her face. It was a cute nickname, if she ever got to use it... and Mio would look simply amazing in one of those nurse uniforms. Maybe she could ask Sawako to make one, and force Mio into it.

Mio obliged. Sharp things weren't her favorite, especially not anything that was related to medicine or surgery like a scalpel was, but it was way better than staring at a dead animal. She practically ran to the back table, to get the supplies, but was slow making her way back. She didn't wanna trip and stab herself, and she didn't want to have to look at that thing again so soon.

As soon as Mio got back however, Ritsu started without hesitation. The first cut took a while, just because it wasn't exactly clear on where to start it, but Ritsu wasn't the timid type. She plunged the tip of the scalpel in, and began to cut down. The result was... unexpected.

Even Ritsu jumped as the scalpel cut into the abdominal cavity, which neither girl had had the nerve to poke at just yet. It was bulging outwards... until of course, the scalpel penetrated the skin and gave the pressurized fluid a means of escaping. The release wasn't drastic, it wasn't like a water balloon, but it was enough to spurt out a good few inches. Ritsu jumped as her fingers got prickled with the fluid.

But Mio... her hands got a sprayed with the musky smelling fluid, before she could even hope to move them. Her eyes had been held tightly shut ever since Ritsu had started the first cut. As if she would be expected to watch her best friend brutally abolish the corpse of a poor little frog. She had wanted to avoid the Biological abhorrence that was dissection, but the "excuse form" that students were expected to turn in was something her parents didn't sign for her. They found dissection to be too valuable a learning experience... and her dad thought it was just plain cool. Blame the testosterone, but Mio hadn't gotten the form signed. Not that her parents didn't care, they just wanted her to go through with it.

However, had they known this might happen; they may have changed their minds.

Mio yelped like a stuck pig as soon as she felt the fluid on her hands. She didn't wait to see what might have been the source, but she had an imagination. She had had her eyes shut tight, as well as her hands, so she didn't see the event exactly as it happened. In her mind, the frog wasn't dead yet, and it had spit something on her in spite. However, her rational mind kept her from completely losing it and running the heck out of the room. But, she didn't feel safe.

She needed her safety. But, Ritsu's hands were preoccupied at the moment; she had a scalpel in one hand, and a pin probe in the other. If Mio grabbed around one of those, she would need to get a tetanus shot, and probably a few stitches. Not her ideal Monday, plus the fact that the tools had the preservative on them, and that stuff could be toxic! But she needed a safety, so she settled for the next thing that came to her mind.

Her now damp hands grabbed Ritsu's shirt near her neck, and she buried her face in the back of Ritsu's shoulder. She wanted to keep her eyes away from the damned frog on the desk, as well as her face and neck. Ritsu proved a good shield, and it felt nice... and it was new. She actually forgot for a second about the frog on the table and fluid on her hands... and was absorbed in the feeling of warmth she was getting against her face. And of course, the smell of "blue raspberries" that Ritsu's perfume had.

She was still scared however, and was shaking enough for Ritsu to not only notice, but feel it against her body. Mio was shaking, literally, like a leaf. Ritsu however, was used to that. The strange feeling she had was suddenly having Mio so close to her, it was just like the hug. Except now, Mio's face was pressed against hers. She could feel every shaky breath Mio took. She could feel Mio's cheeks pressing against her shoulder, and her terrified hands clenching tightly onto her shirt. She could even feel the small wet spot on her back where Mio's eyes had watered.

For a split second, both girls forgot about the frog, and what had brought them to that position... and both girls thought about what had brought them to feel about that position the way they were. Mio knew she was scared, about something, but that terror was suppressed by the realization of how close she was to Ritsu. But, she didn't want to let go. She was still scared, the wet feeling on her hands being the only reminder of what had brought her here, but she was also comfortable. Her safety wasn't necessary any more, not to make her feel comfortable any ways.

Now, Ritsu was just there because she was so warm and comfortable. She was better than a snuggie, and Mio's mood began to dim as she realized that she wouldn't be able to cling on for much longer. She wasn't that scared after all, and she was terrible at faking being afraid of something. She couldn't shake if she was perfectly well.

Ritsu had practically melted at Mio's touch, feeling Mio's breath on her back, and the warmth from her face making the room temperature seem below zero. Her optimism came back to her, the tackling incident had really dampened that, but this new contact had renewed it completely. She didn't move the entire time Mio was holding her, afraid she might spook the girl away, and hugging wouldn't have helped at all. After all, she was still holding a sharp knife. So she just stayed still, and enjoyed the touch.

Mio only pulled away, still trembling slightly and trying to get every bit out of the experience that she could. But, a shrill voice brought both of them out of the moment. "Mugi-chan! What are you doing?!"

"Uh...?" A hypnotized voice said from the table behind Mio and Ritsu. Tsumugi had been watching the whole thing, entranced. She noticed everything Ritsu and Mio hadn't, like the obvious blush on Mio's face, and how tightly Mio was holding on. But, there is an important rule to remember.

When holding a sharp knife, pay attention to the sharp knife, not to a fantasy come true. The unaware blonde finally noticed what Yui was screaming about, and within moments knew why. A decent flow of blood was coming down her hand, where she had inadvertently ran the knife whilst paying attention to the show in front of her. It wasn't stopping either; the scalpel had penetrated a good centimeter into her skin and muscle tissue. Had she not been so absorbed in the scene in front of her, she would have noticed the stinging pain.

It was a pretty long cut too, from the base of her index finger to the end of her thumb. And there was blood there, something Mugi wasn't used to losing from her hand. She wiped it away with a paper towel, but more blood came. The longing blush on her face from watching Mio and Ritsu connect quickly flushed away, a look of terror coming on her face. It's a strange feeling when you realize that you're hurt a lot worse than you ever have been before, Mugi lead a fairly safe life. No broken bones, she wasn't a dare devil, the worst she had ever done was sprain her thumb. No major blood loss involved there.

Mugi began to panic slightly, looking around at Yui, Mio, and Ritsu for what to do. Mio had turned white, before pressing her face tightly back into Ritsu's back. Ritsu shrugged with her eyes wide. Yui finally shouted. "Mr. Raika! We need a band-aide!"

He arrived within a second, looking down at Mugi's hand which had blood running down either side. He shook his head, thinking of making an example out of Mugi's hand of "what not to do while holding a scalpel", but Mugi was one of his best students, and she already had tears in her eyes. He simply grabbed some paper towels and wrapped them around her hand, before helping her to her feet. To the nurse's office they went. He wasn't worried at all, calm and cool, just as a teacher should be. Besides, he knew from years of experience that Tsumugi would be fine.

Mugi was almost reluctant to leave, her endorphins kicking in as she saw that Mio had resumed her position, clung tightly to Ritsu. Apparently the sight of blood was enough to make her resume her grip. It was as adorable as it had been before, her more so considering Ritsu had put her tools down and had placed her hand over Mio's. Mio's hands were also further around Ritsu, and it was starting to look more and more like a hug.

Mugi cursed her luck as they left the classroom, blood starting to soak through the paper towel, and went towards the nurse's office.

The rest of the class passed without incident. Mio had detached herself from Ritsu after a couple minutes, giving Yui time to wipe up the blood that had dripped onto the table. There was little focus as the dissection continued, Yui didn't wanna touch another scalpel, if it had hurt Tsumugi like that... what would it have done to her? It wouldn't be the same scalpel, but still.

Mio went back to sitting down, her eyes closed, except this time with her hands under the table. As greedy as it was, she was having trouble worrying about Tsumugi. She was with a teacher, and the nurse, so she would be fine. Mio was instead thinking about how she could possibly get through rehearsal. She had never been so taken with someone as she was with Ritsu. A blush came and went from her face as she thought about how good it felt to have her face touch Ritsu's.

Ritsu's optimism had only tapered off slightly. Sadly, she couldn't worry about Mugi as well; she was instead trying to find some way to invoke Mio hugging into her again without making her mad. However, the bell rang before she came up with anything, and after a brief clean up, all the girls headed out to their fifth hour, except for Tsumugi, who was feeling a bit light headed and scared. The nurse had bandaged her up, but she was lying down for the moment. Best not to tempt fate.

Ritsu and Mio parted to go to their respective fifth hours with heavy hearts, neither of them wanting to part, but neither indicating it. Mio decided she would do her best to keep her admiration a secret, but that was probably going to be quite the task.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I really enjoyed writing it, and don't worry, Mugi is going to be fine. But, it's going to help with the plot, so her pain is the story's gain. At least for the time being. I have no plans for causing any real harm to our favorite characters. But, that injury has opened two doors.

I hope your still enjoying it! If you get a chance, leave a review! It really means a lot to know what my audience is thinking.


	14. Chapter 14

Despite all the activity on the floor just above her, it had been a fairly boring, uninteresting fourth hour for Ui. She had Composition this hour, and had caught Yui and Azusa on their way out. They had left about halfway through lunch, but Ui often ate her lunch in this room when Azusa and Jun were busy. She was amazed how flustered Azusa was, and the mixed look of confusion and pride on Yui's face was unmistakable. Azusa left the classroom without saying two things to Ui, which made the young brunette curse herself.

Once again, as it had been Saturday, she had missed something good... something she couldn't really guess at, but something she knew was worthwhile. But, alas, there was no way she could find out. She didn't have the courage to ask such an odd question out the blue. Besides, Yui looked like she was in a rush to her fourth hour, and Azusa looked way too out of it to answer any questions as to why.

So, Ui sat down, and enjoyed her lunch in peace and quiet as the clocked ticked by. Frankly, lunch periods like this gave her a flurry of mixed emotions. The obvious one was loneliness, sadness at the fact that her friends were busy... but along with that came a whole new set of emotions. Amazement at the fact that she only had two real friends, aside from Nodoka and her sister, who were often busy with their respective clubs. Serenity in the fact that she could enjoy her lunch in peace in quiet, and get some thinking done. She rarely got a chance to just sit down and think about stuff, especially since having Yui as a sister was a full-time job at home. But she wanted her sister to be happy, and she was happy to go to any lengths to do so.

But... perhaps time to think and just let thoughts run through err head like wild-fire wasn't always desired. Sure, some times she got some insights onto math problems, or she would have a little time to prepare herself for class. But sometimes, she had nothing to prepare for, and would just stare out the window and let thoughts come and go.

First came the random thoughts, about any sporadic topic that her brain could choose. Sometimes it was about the bird outside, sometimes it was about a movie she had seen when she was a little kid. After those came the realistic thoughts, like what colleges she would apply for, or what she had to do in other classes this year. Sometimes about what it would be like with Yui away from home, but that thought was quickly dismissed. It wasn't pleasant to think about at all.

Her brain worked like a schedule, and after she got her sporadic thoughts and her progressive thoughts out of her head... she had a little free time. Only a little, as class was starting soon, but enough time for her to think of one thing.

It was an image, and it even surprised her. It came and went in an instant as she watched a cherry blossom fall to the ground and settle peacefully. She was amazed that she had even thought of it, when the event at the time had seemed entirely insignificant.

In a split second, she saw that very spot where the cherry blossom was falling, and remembered earlier that day. She saw Yui tumbling towards the ground, and then a flash of blonde hair. As Tsumugi tried to catch Yui and bring the near comatose girl back to her feet, the blonde haired girl turned back and looked at Ui. Their eyes met, for no more than a millisecond... but it was that millisecond that Ui remembered most of all. Maybe it was because Mugi was panicked, trying to hold up Yui on her lonesome... but Ui saw a sparkle in them.

Class began after that, almost immediately... and despite them starting a new, far more interesting Unit... Ui couldn't focus the whole time. Every once in a while, she found herself closing her eyes, and trying to bring back that image. That sparkle in those eyes.

But she couldn't. She got a little frustrated, she couldn't stop trying, but no matter how much she tried the image would not resurface in her mind. At least... not until just a little bit later.

The class droned on, and eventually Ui pressed the idea to the back of her mind. She would simply have to see Tsumugi again, and then she would get a more permanent mental image. However, in the anticipation of getting a look in her eyes again while walking Yui to rehearsal, she had far over planned it. She was close to the door, and a simple look to the hallway was all their "next encounter" entailed.

Ui had checked the hall just as Mugi was getting her escort from the biology teacher, and even she was shocked by what she was seeing. She was usually used to seeing blood, animal blood in butcher shops when getting meat for dinner, but on a person? It made her shiver just thinking about it, especially considering the victim! Tsumugi was a nice girl!

Unfortunately, as shameful as it was, Ui was perhaps even more upset because Mugi's eyes were closed. The blonde had been startled enough at seeing her own blood, she didn't want to watch the blood spot on the towel she was given to wrap her hand grow even larger. She was scared enough with a cut in her hand, she didn't need to be worrying also about how much blood she was losing.

Ui was however, brought back to a fit of angst and worry. She could tell, while trying to look into Mugi's eyes again, or some how burn a whole in her eye lids, that Mugi was really fighting to be brave for this. And she had reason to be scared, there was quite a bit of blood on the folded towel, and it couldn't have felt too pleasant.

The second year only got a few seconds to notice all of that, and sadly, she didn't get a look into Mugi's eyes. But, it sparked a whole new concern in her system, for what might have possibly happened to Mugi, it just seemed wrong that someone so kind would end up hurt, especially like that. She thought about asking Yui... but quickly took that thought out of the idea pool.

After all, wouldn't it sound weird to her sister if she asked about someone that she barely knew at all? But... it wasn't long before that idea was put back into the idea pool, simply because of how curious Ui was. After all, if Mugi had to go to the hospital, Ui couldn't get another look at those eyes, something she HAD to do. She had to see if something was really there, she had to see if that sparkle had just been the sun or a coincidence. Nothing weird about it at all... just a natural curiosity, a caring for a fellow human being... right?

'Of course it is.' Ui thought, pulling out her cell phone at the end of the period. She quickly texted her sister, asking, "_What happened with your friend?_" She was careful not to imply anything, any obsessions or the like. She wasn't obsessed right...? No! So what if she wanted to visualize Tsumugi's eyes? The girl had pretty eyes! They seemed to bring light in her mind whenever Ui even came close to visualizing them again. There was NOTHING wrong with that. Right...? 'Of course not.'

Ui however, she hurried to her fifth hour. She took her seat, right next to Azusa's desk, and attempted to patiently wait for her phone to buzz back. She had the waiting part down, but the patience was going to need some work...

She didn't take her phone out to check it or anything, but her knee jumped insistently. She kneaded her palms with her fingers, anxiously waiting for the reply. Tsumugi just had to be ok; if she weren't it would be ten times the crime it would have been for anyone else. She didn't know why... maybe because that girl was so... gentle. Almost angelic even. Her phone buzzed, and Ui immediately pulled her phone out and into reading position. She would have to teach Yui to text more efficiently... more than minute to reply? Blasphemy, especially about something as important as this!

Ui didn't even take second thought as to why she was concerned. She dismissed it as simply concern for someone who was bleeding into a towel, almost in tears, being escorted in the hall way. Maybe it was her maternal instincts... or maybe it was that combined with something else, but she didn't have time to think over that. It remained innocent in her mind.

She flipped open her phone and hastily read the text message. "_Mugi-chan?_" Was all it said. Ui almost swallowed her own tongue. That was the closest she'd come in a while to losing patience with her sister, but that was something she couldn't do. She texted a simple, "Yes" back before turning the front of the classroom.

And Azusa had taken note of Ui's slightly altered behavior; it was always strange to see such a composed person acting in such a chaotic, altered way compared to normal. She was sure Ui would be fine, it wasn't like anything was wrong... it was almost like a false sense of urgency. Had Azusa known the reason, she would have known it was a bit more than that.

But, Ui seemed to calm down after a few minutes, trying to keep herself calm while waiting for the verdict. It was easier to calm down, since Ui knew that Yui wasn't super concerned. If Yui were, she would have known who Ui was talking about at the very moment, and her reply would have been way faster. Her phone finally buzzed again, after fifth hour had started, and Ui discreetly took the phone out of her pocket. She read the message intently. "_She accidentally cut herself while dissecting a froggy._" Amazing how Yui always insisted on perfect grammar... but then again, so did Ui.

Ui felt a mixture of relief and sickness. It was good that no one in particular was at fault. But then again... everyone was at fault! Had someone been paying attention, they could have stopped Tsumugi from making that honest mistake... what Ui was considering an honest and easy mistake to make anyways. Had she known what Tsumugi had been thinking about at the time, perhaps her "blame everyone" strategy would have lost some weight. But no, from Ui's current stand-point, someone could have prevented that from happening.

But for some reason, the blame didn't once fall on Tsumugi while she was searching for an answer. It had to be someone else's fault; Ui couldn't see Tsumugi doing something like that. That was slightly true, if Mio and Ritsu hadn't been so distracting at the time; Mugi wouldn't have cut past the edge of the frog and into her hand... but the blame was greatly on Mugi's shoulders. After all, she should never have stopped and stared while holding a sharp knife... and she should NEVER have stopped and stared while making a cut with that sharp knife. And she should _NEVER_ have put her hand somewhere, while not paying attention, which the sharp knife could easily reach. And never EVER should she have been distracted enough to continue cutting into her own body with the knife and not notice it.

So, even though Ui didn't propose it as an option, the blame was largely on the blonde haired teen. But Ui wouldn't accept that in her mind, not without video footage or witness recollection. That is just the kind of girl she is.

So, she went on with her class, occasionally glancing up to the board to take notes. She found herself able to focus slightly more, a little less obligated to try and imagine what Mugi's eyes looked like, and frankly sick of trying. Every one her attempts failed miserably from that point forth, and it wasn't worth trying to think of it any more. She didn't want to think of Mugi in the hallway; that just made her worry more about her well-being.

She thought about texting Yui again to ask if Mugi was going to be ok, but everything seemed to be working out, and Ui was confident her sister had told her everything she knew at the moment. Azusa probably wouldn't know anything either, and besides, she appeared to not only be busy with that, but a bit side tracked by something going on in her mind as well. And Ui was ok with that, and she began working. Theology had never been so interesting in her life. Once she blocked everything else out of her mind, thinking about how theology had affected cultures in the past and present became the easiest thing in the world.

Although Ui had found her hole in the paper to fall into and take notes in... Azusa was still having quite the trouble. She wasn't dealing with a borderline obsession, no, she was trying to think in some way that she could get past her fears and nerves to actually tell Yui what had been going through her mind. It was more than a crush at this point, it had reached a level of infatuation between the two, and it was getting harder and harder to live with just that. Azusa wanted more, more than what Yui had already given her.

Now, Yui had already given her quiet a bit. A few kisses, tons of hugs, and even an inadvertent smothering... but Azusa knew that was all innocent, kiddy stuff. No, that wasn't what she was looking for from Yui any more. If they had to stay friends, that would be perfectly fine... but Azusa had to at least give it a shot and see if all this touchy-feely stuff Yui had been doing for the past year and half actually meant something more intimate than friendship.

After that day in the music room, combined with everything on Saturday and a couple hours ago at lunch, Azusa was pretty confident in the fact that she and Yui could have something between them. A chemistry. And even though Azusa still had trouble actually visualizing her and Yui actually kissing, Azusa was fairly confident that it would feel amazing.

She knew, just as she knew she wanted to continue playing guitar; that she wanted that kiss. Once she got that, she would probably feel more confident in telling Yui what she had been feeling for her, and towards her, for the past few days. The problem was that she would have a bit of trouble getting that kiss, unless she told Yui how she was feeling. And that was the problem right there, the paradox that had Azusa stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Without telling Yui, she may never get that kiss. Without that kiss, she didn't know if she could possibly get the nerve to tell Yui. If she told Yui, and Yui said no... Things would be incredibly awkward between them, and Azusa didn't want that one bit. But the Kouhai also wanted that kiss; it would be a godsend sign if she got that from Yui. It would give her a real choice.

And besides, even if she confessed to Yui and Yui said no, after the kiss, Azusa would at least have reason to do so. Then, if Yui ended up not liking her in an intimate fashion, the other members of the group would at least understand where Azusa was coming from, and why she thought she may have a chance.

But one thing was for certain in her mind, and that was for her to have one, she would have to have the other. She had the power to confess, and although she had the power in give Yui a kiss... there was no WAY she would be able to will herself to actually kiss someone against their will.

'Then I'll have to talk to her...' Azusa thought to herself, all the while pretending to take notes for what had to be the least exciting class in the world. She really didn't want to; she knew that this would be hands down the most mentally tasking thing she had had to do in a long time... and with everything on the table. The thing she was afraid of most was making things awkward between her and her Senpai. She didn't want to have to part with Yui's hugs and kisses just because she was attracted to her. And she didn't want Yui to act different around her, she liked Yui's personality. She liked her goofiness, her bubbliness, and her air headedness.

Before long, class ended. It surprised both Ui and Azusa, because the end came so abruptly for the two of them. Azusa was still caught in her mental preparations of when she could tell Yui, and Ui was absorbed in the lecture at almost an unhealthy level. Both of them jumped slightly as the bell rang, bringing them out of their semi-consciousness. It took them a second to recognize that in the past five minutes in their mind, over an hour had passed.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

The two girls walked together up to the music room, after packing up their stuff. Ui occasionally did stuff like this, so Azusa didn't suspect any ulterior motives... but Ui definitely had them. She was hell-bent on making sure that Tsumugi was ok. She didn't think much of it though; it was just caring for another human being... and nothing more... at all... and that's that.

However, as they entered the music room, a relief washed over Ui as she noticed the blonde standing in the middle of the room, with two other girls leaning over her right hand where the towel had been prior. She had a warm smile, if not a little bit of a blush, spread across her face. Ritsu and Yui were the ones who were carefully inspecting the wound, in awe. Even though it had been thoroughly wrapped by this point, Ui could tell that much from the door. The other girl, Mio, was sitting in a chair, facing the opposite direction. Azusa had mentioned, on several occasions, that Mio scared easily.

Azusa trotted in past Ui, not too worried about what had happened with Mugi since it seemed to be under control, and took out her guitar. Ui looked on from the door frame, specifically at Tsumugi. She stared right into her eyes, entranced by the warm expression being reflected around the room by them. It was amazing, they were beautiful. They made Ui's heart beat practically out of her chest.

Tsumugi was completely unaware that Ui was staring at her, or her eyes particularly. She was occupied with the two girls, soon to be three once Azusa came over to check what the fuss was, checking out the bandage. It was a large gauze pad wrapped with a couple tapes. She was advised not to play keyboard that day, which meant rehearsal would be ending prematurely for her, and probably Mio and Ritsu as well. They were the technical "rhythm section" of the group. But, it was for the best... Tsumugi had been told that the clot had already started forming in the wound, and if removed, another wave of blood would spawn. And she'd decided that blood wasn't something she liked losing a lot of in one day.

"Is it gonna be ok?" Yui asked, leaning in to examine the visibly bloody bandage on her hand.

"Yup!" Tsumugi said with a smile. "They said that scalpel cuts just bleed a lot more than normal cuts, because they cut so deep!" Mio cursed Tsumugi silently for her lack of consideration, while turning ghost white and grinding her teeth. She didn't need to hear how much they bled! This was the one day she was ok with calling rehearsal a little bit early, she didn't want to look at Tsumugi's bloody bandages. And she wouldn't, she had gotten one look at them and felt faint. She would stay sitting and drinking the tea Mugi had poured after leaving the nurse's office early.

"Does it hurt?" Ritsu said, poking the bandage, causing Tsumugi to wince slightly.

"Yes." Tsumugi added plainly, withdrawing her hand from Ritsu's touch. It was only as she was pulling back however, that she noticed the brunette staring at her from the door way. Azusa had joined, and was trying to coax answers out of Yui and Ritsu as to what had happened, a tone of urgency in her voice. All of it seemed to get lost for a second to Tsumugi though as she met eyes with the staring girl.

Ui realized that suddenly, Tsumugi's attention was on her... so she did what she came for. She couldn't look away, and while paralyzed, took a moment to get a better mental picture of what Tsumugi's eyes looked like. A blush crept onto her face as she did so, but she didn't even realize it.

Tsumugi however, had no idea what Ui's intention actually was, and grew a bit worried. No one had ever given her that look before, had ever stared her down, and she had no idea what to gather of it. She cocked her head to the side slightly, the blush on her face from being the center of attention getting just a tad darker as she did so. The second or so she was looking into Ui's eyes, it felt like an eternity.

Ui only realized how long she had been staring once her heart began to beat, it seemed as though it had stopped the entire time they had held eye contact. She calmly broke her gaze, pulling her body away slightly. She politely excused herself, and left the room, leaving Tsumugi standing there extremely confused. She had never gotten a look like that from ANY one before. She had completely forgotten the itchy pain in her hand, or the fact that it was under the examination of a couple students. She passed it off on the fact that she had bloody gauze encasing her hand. Ui was probably just trying to get a good look, or had heard what had happened and was giving a look of shame. Mugi couldn't put her finger on it.

So she dismissed it. "Hey guys...?" She said, interrupting Azusa, Yui, and Ritsu, who were all retelling the story of how it happened... with a few exaggerations. Something about the frog slipping forward mysteriously, a gem contributed by Ritsu. Funny because she hadn't been watching at all, but Mugi was flattered by it all the same. The truth wasn't nearly as glorious or shame free... she was distracted and had diced herself. "I have to get going pretty soon..."

"Aww..." Yui moaned, looking up at Tsumugi. She stepped away from the wound, along with Ritsu and Azusa. Ritsu had apparently lost her fascination, or turned it off with some sort of switch. Azusa was content just knowing that Mugi was ok.

"You're gonna be ok walking home?" Azusa asked, still a little bit worried by nature.

Mugi nodded and smiled. She hadn't bothered unpacking today, aside from the tea set, but that was easy to pack up for the girls. "I'll talk to you guys later!" She said, offering a small wave, before exiting the room entirely and heading out of the school.

Needless to say, without rehearsal, the others didn't take long to pack their stuff up and leave. After some tea, they all prepared for departure. However, Mio realized that she and Ritsu were the only ones with any excuse to leave. A member of their rhythm section was missing, and thus, they had a viable excuse to not rehearse that day. Besides, Yui needed some serious help on guitar still, and Azusa could definitely provide such a thing.

As Yui began to leave, Azusa also expecting to leave the music room a bit early that day, Mio stopped them. "Hold on..." She said, slinging her bass over her shoulder. Ritsu, Azusa, and Yui had congregated by the door already, patiently waiting for her. "Yui, Azusa... you guys haven't played in like four days. I think you guys could stay and rehearse..."

Azusa took a second, but the realization came upon her. "You're right Mio-senpai!" She said, setting her guitar down. Yui deflated almost instantly... but Azusa saw another window of opportunity in this time frame. Mugi had left, and Mio and Ritsu were planning to. Thus, it would be her and Yui, alone, and if there was time to talk, Azusa would definitely take advantage of it. "Come on Yui-Senpai!"

So, with much ado, Azusa and Yui began unpacking once again. Yui was speechless, she REALLY didn't want to have to stay and rehearse. She had done a lot today, including passing a test! That one thing alone was a lot more than she usually did... and now rehearsal on top of that? But... she decided to truck through it. After all, since it was just her and Azusa, she could really learn things.

Azusa however, she began mental preparation as she got out her guitar. She figured if there was even a little opening, she would talk to Yui right then and there. Might as well just get it out of the way.

But first came the business part. They sat down, and began with a simple warm up of various chords, strum to different rhythms on their guitars. Yui had zoned into the music, leaving Azusa to try and focus on tuning to her while they played. After all, Yui did have the ever elusive "perfect pitch". Which meant that Yui would always be as close to perfect as one could get while tuning.

Azusa had stopped using her electric tuner when Yui was around. Because it just slowed her down. So she sat side by side with Yui, a bit closer than usual, and tuned her guitar against her Senpai's. But, she also made sure to do it extra slow, close enough to feel Yui's body heat, while still looking like she was getting prepped.

Yui took no notice, and just continued warming up her hands to get ready. Her lessons with Azusa, albeit difficult and taxing, were incredibly fun. Not only did she get some one on one time with her Azu-nyan, but she also got to sing and play guitar at the same time. It was everything she could want, aside from a nap... with all other precursors as a guitar "sectional".

She noticed how close Azusa was, and took immediate advantage of it by finishing the warm up abruptly and practically falling against Azusa. Yui feigned it as exhaustion, an act Azusa had no trouble buying into it... Yui had pulled this kind of thing in the past. "Wahh!" Azusa cried out as she almost fell over, the weight of her Senpai leaning against her almost too much to bear at such short notice.

She ended up being able to slide away at the last moment, causing Yui to fall against the couch, yawning. "Yui-senpai!" Azusa said, composing herself as quickly as she could. Thankfully, her guitar was close enough to tuning so she could easily get away with it. "We have to rehearse! Now come on, up up!" The smaller girl said, standing over Yui.

But Yui didn't really want to get up. The couch was darn soft, softer than it had ever been in the past, and besides, she had something going here. A plan, not exactly fool proof, but the stakes were low. She would be getting up either way... but if she could coax Azusa into helping out a little bit... it would be much better than getting up all on her own.

Azusa waited for any response from the brunette, but instead of making an effort, Yui just stared in the exact same spot with her eyes half open. Azusa waited and waited, but still received nothing from her Senpai... and that just wouldn't do? She couldn't have a guitar sectional without her guitar section, otherwise it would just be practice! She had to find some way to get Yui back to her feet, and get the motivation back into her.

She thought about her options. If she tried to wait it out, there would be a strong possibility of Yui just falling asleep and thus, wasting the scheduled time. She lacked the necessary resources to bring out more cake and tea, it would be irresponsible to do so any way. She could never forgive herself if she broke something of Mugi's... not because Mugi wouldn't forgive her without a second thought, but because if she broke something, she wasn't exactly sure how long it would take to pay it back.

She actually thought about not getting Yui up at all, and just starting the talk with her to see what Yui's reaction might be... but that would be far too risky for Azusa. She didn't really want to jeopardize her time with Yui, relationship or not, and they had about an hour for a sectional planned. That was quality time no matter how you looked at it.

She was only left with one more option, and that was using the force she had behind her small arms and hands. It was all she could do, there was nothing less aside from hitting Yui, but Azusa was never one to use force unless it was absolutely necessary. And albeit avoiding a kiss might have been before, getting her Senpai up off the couch certainly did call for it.

So, after a few minutes of Azusa thinking and Yui patiently waiting to see what the Kouhai would do, the raven haired girl walked a bit closer. Before Yui knew it, a few gentle strands of midnight hair were dangling in front of her face, and Azusa's hands were around her stomach. The plan had worked flawlessly, and she had Azusa doing exactly what she had wanted. She didn't make any effort still though, as the smaller girl strained to get her to her feet, and lay limply in Azusa's arms. She occasionally whined slightly, feigning discomfort to increase the effectiveness of the illusion.

After all, Azusa was once again giving her a hug, even if it didn't register as such in the Kouhai's brain. To Azusa, she was doing what was necessary to get Yui to her feet, and though it required an exceptional amount of physical contact between the two, Azusa didn't take it as anything more than forceful assistance.

But to Yui's surprise, she felt herself lifted up into a bear hug, something she didn't dread by any means, and felt her feet hit the ground. Azusa set her down, and although it was straining on the smaller girl's body, she was as gently as possible while lowering Yui down. After all, she didn't want Yui falling forward and smacking her face against the hard floor. That would make the talk between them that Azusa had been trying to plan the least reasonable thing ever.

But, Yui stayed standing as Azusa released her from the tight hug. She took a deep breath, faking as though she had just been through a great effort, and shook off her natural apathy. Afterwards, after Azusa had caught her breath and flashed her a very disapproving look, Yui made her way towards Gitah, and began setting up to play.

Despite the tension from Azusa's side, and her obvious nervousness while she played, the sectional was as natural as it ever had been between them... if not a bit more so. Azusa watched Yui play almost constantly, and not just her strumming and fretting technique either. She watched all of Yui as they played; running the various charts Mio had been kind enough to compose almost strictly on her own.

And the irony of it? As clichéd as it was, they were almost perfectly in sync the entire time they played. Aside from a few slip ups while Yui was juggling the difficult task of singing and playing guitar at the same time, they stayed together in a manner almost exclusive to that sectional. Azusa was amazed by it, even if Yui was too absorbed in their song to realize what was happening.

They ran all of the songs Mio had written over their time in the band. Over... and over... and yes, over. They had a whole hour to kill, but honestly, it never took that long to run through their entire set. Azusa had intended to try and leave a little bit of time for her and Yui to discuss things near the end of the rehearsal, but that plan feel through. She had become just as absorbed in the running of the songs as Yui was, not even realizing how much time was passing as they played each song again and again. They didn't stop once, aside to get a drink of water between songs and to say "Good job" to each other.

They finished the final song, their "Classic hit" Fluffy Fluffy Time. Both girls held the chord a bit longer than they had in the previous run-throughs of the chart, knowing to do so with a special connection they had maintained for what seemed like nothing more than a few seconds. Azusa took a deep breath, relaxing, looking at the clock to see how long they had left to play music.

They had none.

'Crap...' Azusa thought to herself, looking down and shaking her head. She had intended to save about half of the sectional so she could work up the nerve to talk with Yui... and now she didn't even have the effort inside of her to do so. There was so much she needed to say, and so little time left.

Besides, after that rehearsal... Azusa wasn't sure that she could jeopardize that kind of connection with Yui. It was far too perfect.

"My lips are tingly!" Yui said with a smile, touching her fingers to them and running the length with the pads of her digits. She looked over at Azusa, who was looking straight down at her feet, and felt a pang of nervousness in her side. But nerves were never something that could stop Yui. They were a hamper on life, and that's all they were to her.

She walked over to Azusa, and smiled at her, fingers still pressed against her tingly lips. "They always get this way after I sing a lot..." She said, getting a glance up at her from Azusa. The younger girl got to an upright position and looked at Yui, unsure why her Senpai was standing so close. "But I've always wanted to try something..."

"What's that?" Azusa inquired, not really sure why, but probably just her indiscreet fascination and infatuation in the older girl shining through for just a moment.

"I've always wanted to see what it feels like to kiss some one..." Yui said, fighting through her own nervousness to get the comment out. Azusa felt her stomach drop, but she wasn't about to back down. Her mind went into rapid fires, telling her that she had decided on this earlier. Talk then kiss, or kiss then talk.

"I have lips..." Azusa mumbled, almost incoherently, but Yui caught every mumbled letter. She smiled at the young girl, who had suddenly gotten one of the worst sunburns Yui had ever seen in her life... or something of the sort.

Azusa looked down; feeling a bit dejected... but realized that her head hadn't gotten far enough. She didn't even see it coming, but in the next second, her feet tingled as she felt Yui's lips press against her own. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Foreign was the feeling at first, as every single bone in her body ignited with a flame so bright she was sure one could see it if they were watching.

Pleasure came next, a pleasure much different than any she had known to that point in her life. It was unreal how soft Yui's lips were pressed against hers, and even though it wasn't even that romantic of a kiss, Azusa felt her soul flare with joy. But the pleasure didn't last long; it seemed to only come in one burst.

Contentment is what followed, a feeling that Azusa would have for the next couple hours, long after they separated for the day, and even longer after the kiss ended. Azusa wasn't just feeling these emotions however... they were slurred in with a blizzard of others. Every different nerve cell in her skull felt different emotions. Fear, terror, excitement, nervousness, fearlessness... you name it.

She didn't kiss back, though she would have in a second if she had gotten the chance to do so. The wave of emotions in her head seemed to distract her from doing anything else, taking every bit of her conscious being to focus on just the kiss and the emotions.

But, the kiss didn't last nearly as long as it felt. The rehearsal had felt like less than twenty minutes, when it had lasted over an hour. The kiss however, it felt like it lasted a hundred hours, when it had lasted no more than two seconds. Azusa had been as stiff as a board, and didn't even realize Yui was hugging her lightly the entire length of the kiss.

As Yui pulled away, emotions shooting off in her mind as she allowed, she noticed that Azusa's "sunburn" had gotten even worse. Apparently along with crippling the smaller girl with emotion, her body had also focused on moving every ounce of blood to the upper half of her body. That only flooded back towards her feet a few seconds after Yui released her kiss.

Azusa began to get some human life back in her; enough to turn her head and look away from Yui's smiling face anyways. Yui giggled slightly, letting go of her light grip on Azusa's waist. She never realized how much control she could have over Azusa by simply kissing her. If she had known, she would have done it the first day they rehearsed together, rather than hugging and petting, cooing how she was a "good girl". This was so much easier, and it was not only less effort, but it also felt nice.

Yui didn't have any second thoughts. She liked the kiss, it felt great, and she would love to do it again. She didn't mess with petty words like "sexual attraction", nor "sexual alignment" or "sexual orientation". All she knew was that Azusa was one of the only people that she would like to kiss, hold hands with, pull into hugs, hold, and tell everything to.

Azusa however, she did mess around with words that Yui would never touch, and every term came washing over her as she got more and more of her conscious thought back. She got what she wanted, and it was everything that she had hoped it would be. There was nothing more that she could have expected from that kiss, except maybe that it could have lasted a little longer. Every one of her suspicions, her crushes on class mates in an all girl school... they were confirmed at that very second. If anything, she could be grateful to Yui for that.

"Azu-nyan's so cute..." Yui cooed, looking down at the girl who was trying to recover from the kiss with every fiber of her being. It was harder than she expected, though Azusa could only expect that during those few seconds, her heart had stopped entirely, because her fingers and toes were practically numb, and her heart was racing. She was leaning against the bass amp, catching her breath.

Yui thought it was a bit drastic of Azusa to react like this, even though it was one of the cutest things she had ever seen her do. However, she could sympathize. It wasn't like Azusa was expecting it at all. She went from feeling dejected one moment from having her bones explode with surprise euphoria the next. That was probably not a change that Azusa was used to making from day to day.

Probably the exact opposite. Azusa was always pretty calm and had stuff under control, aside from Yui and Ritsu's rehearsal habits... and then this came out of no where on her. Even though Azusa had thought that maybe somewhere in her mind, her clever response had worked on some level; she could never have prepared herself for what was going to happen next.

Azusa finally recovered from the kiss, to a level where she could actually function a little more effectively and actually stand on her own two feet. She had never imagined she would be caught so off guard by Yui actually giving her a real kiss. And no, this wasn't a "friendship kiss" as Yui liked to attempt in years prior. A different kind of friendship maybe, but not something innocent and platonic like the attempts in the past were.

So, the raven haired girl took a deep breath, to get up enough courage and tenacity to actually say something. She was amazed by the fact that little less than three minutes had past since she last checked the clock, but then again, maybe what they said was true. Time slowed down. "Yui-senpai...?" Azusa asked, getting up to her feet. "Can we talk about something?"

Yui giggled slightly. "Sure! What do you want to talk about Azu-nyan?" And the funny thing was; she didn't honestly know what there was to talk about. Everything was straight forward to her. And that kiss, how it had felt when she did it, had told her everything that she needed know.

Azusa thought about asking about whether or not Yui was attracted to her... though she pretty much already had that indication. That kiss wasn't the same kind she had ever gotten from her parents or relatives; she imagined it was how her mother and father kissed each other. Despite it's length, Azusa could tell it wasn't what Yui called a "friendship kiss". But... Azusa wanted to make sure. "That... that wasn't a friendship kiss was it?" She asked, gulping slightly.

"A different kind of friendship." Yui replied with a small smile on her face. For once in her life, she was the composed one, and Azusa was the confused child. Azusa nodded at the reply, something she would expect from Yui.

Azusa thought about what to say next... to thank Yui for making everything clear and saving the work for her... but she decided not to. Heck, if anything, she would have plenty of time to thank Yui for that later. And at this point, it would be hard to mess stuff up between her and her senpai. At least as far as entering a relationship went. Azusa smiled a bit timidly, still not able to completely wrap her mind around the good fortune bestowed upon her. "Then... will you go out with me?"

Yui smiled and nodded. "Sure! Where are we going?"

"Well you know... just..." Azusa didn't really know how to explain it. That had just become the custom question for asking someone to be in a relationship with you. "Be in a... relationship with me?"

"We aren't already?" Yui asked, tilting her head and looking at Azusa, who was struggling for a way to answer her questions.

"No I mean... to make it official." Azusa said, looking dead at Yui, hoping that that would make enough sense for Yui to give a real answer.

"Sure, where are we going then?" To Yui, a kiss was as official as it had needed to be...

"We're not going any where." Azusa said, at that point starting to get about as lost as Yui in the conversation.

"But you asked me out!" Yui said sternly, a bit frustrated by Azusa's lack of directness.

Azusa took a deep breath, and decided to scrap the conversation all together. Sure, it was customary in today's world to "ask out" someone in order to enter a relationship. But... Yui wasn't really always up to date with stuff like that. She had her own methods now didn't she, and if Azusa was going to try and fool herself into thinking they weren't "official", she would be stupid. So, she decided to play it Yui's way, even though it didn't FEEL official to her, she knew it was. "Hmm... well I think Tsumugi-senpai left some cake out..." Azusa saw, looking towards the counter. "Would you like to stay and have some with me?"

"I would love to." Yui said with a bright smile. To her, everything was official. You can't kiss a stranger, unless it was a "friendship kiss", which was nothing more than a puckered peck. No, there would no longer be room for those petty little signs of affection for Azusa. Now, Azusa got real kisses. Maybe the occasional friendship kisses just to remember that she was still Yui's friend.

Azusa got the box of cake, and brought it over to the table, where Yui had seated herself. Over the time they ate, they switched seats. They talked almost the entire time, laughing, blushing, smiling, and getting more acquainted than before. They sat across from each other, looking at each other and discussing things. Then they would sit right next to each other, their chairs pushed slightly together while they ate. They talked the entire time, just enjoying each others company.

They parted with a kiss, followed by a tight hug. Yui was the person who had kissed Azusa, once again, because Azusa couldn't quite bring herself to find appropriate moments. But to Yui, every moment was appropriate. And afterwards Azusa felt it was the perfect moment as well.

Though it only felt like a couple minutes of talking, they didn't say good bye until the moon illuminated the school grounds. Azusa was amazed as she walked home. Amazed at how fluid time became when you were with someone you truly cared about.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Wow, finally something very real happened! The first real kiss of the series, and I hope it was both what you wanted, and not what you expected. This doesn't mean there isn't some confusion though of course... something so sudden for poor Azusa would send her reeling. It'll be fixed eventually, don't you worry.

I hope you are pleased; looks like Azusa and Yui were the first to really cross the finish line, even if one of them isn't sure if they have just yet. And no, contrary to the title, it doesn't mean they are "bad girls".

I hope you enjoyed! If you get a chance, I'd love reviews so I can know what you are thinking!

Thanks to everyone who has followed me from beginning (or near beginning) to end, you have no idea how much it means.


	15. Chapter 15

Ritsu and Mio however, hadn't known what had gone on after they left the after school rehearsal. Heck, neither of them even had definite sign that Yui and Azusa had something going on between them, and honestly, they didn't have time to observe things like that. Even if they did suspect anything, it faded to gray as they walked home. They had parted far before Azusa and Yui had even ended their sectional, and cemented their "friendship", but not before it began to get a bit dark.

Mio, mustering what little confidence and desire she had in her at the time, realized that she had been looking forward to getting out of school. Not because of rehearsal, and not because school was over for the day –though that was a contributing factor-. No, it had been because she would get to spend some time around Ritsu in a controlled environment. As nice as biology was, rehearsal was so much more controlled and serene.

After all, even with Yui and Ritsu screaming and yelling back and forth across the table, it was still far more calm than being scared half to death by a frog getting its last laugh by spurting juices all over her.

Sure, she enjoyed hugging on to Ritsu with every fiber of her being, only doing so out of need for a short amount of time. But she didn't enjoy the circumstances that had brought her to that spot, and why she found the almost compulsive need to attach herself to her best friend. She just liked being in that spot, she didn't need some rhyme or reason for it.

So, in order to make up for the time that would have been lost, Mio asked Ritsu to have a cup of tea with her.

It was completely uneventful. But, Mio's clear headedness allowed her to see one thing that made everything a heck of a lot easier for her. She had no doubts left in her mind at all. She was definitely attracted on some level to her best friend. Attracted in a way that she wasn't to the man she watched walking out in front of the tea shop on Sunday. It wasn't a normal friendship any more.

And that was only confusing to Mio for one reason. No, it wasn't because she was unfamiliar with lesbianism. She had been in a group with Tsumugi for almost three years, and it was always a running joke with a group of girls. She knew it was a real thing, and that she was perfectly ok with anyone who so happened to be a homosexual. No, the one thing that really confused her as she watched Ritsu sip away at her tea and blab away about how her parents had interfered with her life was that SHE was homosexual. Never in a million years would Mio have guessed herself to be a lesbian.

She was used to stereotypes naturally, and whenever she thought of the word, she thought of short, spiky hair, and black clothing, and chains of some sort. She never thought of long hair which was conditioned for at least an hour a week, of squeamish tendencies to the point of not even being able to complete a simple dissection, or of enjoyment from the kinds of songs she had written. It surprised her, but at the same time, it really didn't.

After all, Tsumugi was fairly blatantly homosexual with her fantasy moments. And the way she made eyes at Sawako. And Tsumugi was by far the most elegant, refined girl that Mio had ever met in her life. Lesbian or not, Tsumugi acted like a princess in a castle, not a biker.

Perhaps that was what had been holding Mio back from admitting to herself that she "liked" Ritsu. She didn't fit the stereotype. Nothing about her fit the stereotype that she had in her mind, and to her that meant that she could NEVER have been a homosexual. She didn't fit the part.

But, after the past two days, fitting the part didn't really seem too important for her. Who cares what the "part" was. Tsumugi was as far from fitting the part as she could be, and her sexual orientation was no secret to anyone. No, forget what society might expect from her, and forget what she might have expected of herself only days prior to their tea date now. There was only one important thing that Mio could see in the haze right now.

She liked Ritsu. Not like a friend, but like a boy likes a girl. Expect, it was different than that in the slightest way, but not unheard of by any means. Mio could feel her heart beating in her chest as she carried on a casual conversation with Ritsu, obviously detached from the engagement mental. Her heart pounded, she could swear she could feel it in her ears, but she had finally cleared the haze. She had finally not over thought things. She had finally brushed the clutter aside from her thoughts, and gotten a clear view into the situation.

And as she reflected on that, carrying on about why they would most likely never perform at Budokan if they didn't find some way to all go to the same university, she realized that both Nodoka and Mugi were right. They were right all along, just as Mio would expect of them. At the time they had given her advice, she had almost cursed them for making things just a bit too simple. "Don't over think it...' Easier said than done. 'Clear the fog, and just focus on what you're feeling. It'll be the easiest thing to see after that.' Sure, but how do you clear the fog.

Now however, Mio knew they were right. And although it required a bit more exploration on Mio's part- like getting hugs, feeling Ritsu's hand wrapped around hers, and of course, hiding from the frogs- it was simply a matter of dropping her inhibitions. Nothing more or less. As easy as that. But Mio also learned that she liked those inhibitions... they warned her that something was happening, and what might explain it.

They were what made her nervous to perform on stage. They were what told her to study more for a test. They were what told her not to walk down town at night. However, they were what prevented her from still even saying the word "homosexual" or "lesbian" while sitting completely alone in her room. And they were also what had prevented her from coming to terms with her feelings, and were still trying.

It was a complicated world. Mio and Ritsu separated from each other, a bit begrudgingly on both sides. Though it killed Mio, she didn't want to hug or hold hands, or even come in contact with Ritsu as they walked or parted. Now, even though the GREAT majority of her being was to terms with her being attracted to Ritsu... it made the whole situation just a bit scarier.

Because, even though Mio knew deep in her heart that nothing would change if she hugged Ritsu to say good bye, she was far more scared than before to lose her Ritsu. She had already used Ritsu as a shield, relished in her warmth and comfort, and felt the thin fabric of her shirt slide against her soft skin. Anything more, and Ritsu would catch on to everything and might leave!

At least, that's what the last shred of Mio's old friend inhibition told her. But, that was the last part of her mind that inhibition had hold of. And it told her that if Ritsu found out her secret... everything would take a turn for the worse. And what's worse, Mio had nothing to prove that it wouldn't.

If only she knew, as she and Ritsu parted, that Ritsu was holding herself back from pulling Mio into a hug good-bye. But, Ritsu was still too cautious to jump in and potentially ruin everything she and Mugi had built over the last few days. She didn't know how Mio might react to it, even a smack on the head would be a bad sign, and she didn't have the heart to tell Tsumugi, that she had messed up and that they made need a minor shift of course. Tsumugi had already had a pretty rough day, she looked like heck when she left Biology, and even though she seemed better after school, Ritsu could tell the blonde was still a bit shaky.

So they parted ways, completely unaware that they were thinking the exact same thing. The irony was almost palpable.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

There was an INCREDIBLE amount of fuss as soon as Mugi entered her home. The wound had been easy to hide from the driver of her limousine, since she always sat in the back seat and could easily keep her hand down near her knees. Besides, the elderly driver wasn't always the most vigilant, and driving home was the easiest thing. He was glad he hadn't had to wait for two plus hours in their designated meeting spot, and didn't bother asking why she was so early that day.

Best not question a good thing. Be it wound or agony, hell or high water, he was looking forward to getting home nice and early and catching Wheel of Fortune on his full size television, not the Rolls Royce's dash board. It was a pretty sweet gig, he had to say, and the Kotobuki family was always well past generous to their workers. But any job becomes boring.

It was a good day for him though. He got off work early, and Tsumugi wasn't in a very talkative mood. It was hard for his old mind to keep up with her young one. Heck, it was hard for a man to keep up with a woman in general, and with her being younger than twenty and him being older than seventy... most of the time he just nodded and agreed with her. Years of marriage had given him that gift if anything.

And Tsumugi was grateful for the privacy. She didn't really have anything to think about, things were fairly calm. She wanted to ask Ritsu what had happened with Mio before or after rehearsal, but there was a chance that Ritsu was still with Mio. And that would be rude, to interrupt their conversation and their time together.

Besides, Mugi wasn't in a texting mood. Frankly, she was scared to dislodge the clot forming in her hand and cause all sorts of hell in the car. Bleeding all over the upholstery, and her uniform, and causing the old man in the front seat to panic. That wasn't something she wanted to do. Besides, she hated the sight of her own blood when it was lost in such dire amounts, amounts greater than she had ever seen in the past. No, texting was not in her near future.

Sure, most kids her age could simply use the other hand, but she wasn't that in practice. She usually waited to get a text message before responding to it, and she really only had a couple of contacts. All of her butlers and maids, as well as her mother and father, talked on the phone. Mio, Ritsu, Azusa, and Yui were the only ones who ever texted her. So, she texted using both hands, holding the phone close to her face so she could edit any spelling errors. Just like passing notes, it was a newer experience for her.

So, she just sat calmly and looked out the window. Then they got home. Her driver left and she placed her hand over the large, blood stained bandage on her hand, moving towards the door. Within a second of walking in, being as quiet as possible, the house went into panic mode.

Try as she may, there was no way she could hide the wound from the help around the house. And the help didn't waste any time in making sure that Tsumugi was feeling ok, seeing if she was faint, telling her to lie down, offering to get her a glass of water or Tylenol... it was unrelenting. Tsumugi refused it all, trying to make her way up to her room before a head ache set in and debilitated her for the rest of the night. She wanted to lie down, in her room, lock the door, and turn on the television so she could wind down for the night.

Eventually, after one of the senior staff members held a glass to her lips and told her to, "Drink some water, and he wouldn't hear another word about it..." she managed to get into her room. Today, there was no sense of loneliness, rather a sense of complete and utter serenity and sanctuary. It was a feeling she didn't get too often, she loved getting attention, but tonight it seemed for at the wrong reasons.

But, albeit having been force fed half a glass of water, she understood their concern entirely. Her father was generous, and paid extremely well. The senior help made above average salary and a small fortune in bonuses. The junior help made average salary, with enough money in bonuses to buy a used car. Tsumugi knew that if she even LOOKED like she needed help and they didn't give it, they would be replaced in a second.

What she didn't realize was that every member of the staff also cared for her quite a bit. Even the members of the staff who were but a couple years older than her had come to love her like family. They spent more time with her than any one else, and even though it was menial labor, they did get to know her. They probably knew more about her than her parents did. They knew that when she was on the phone with her friends -or anything with her friends was involved- that everything must be perfect. Interrupting her from a conversation with her friends was a bad idea. Overly accommodating her and her friends... that was potentially even worse.

But they loved her like a daughter, or a younger sister in the junior staff's case. The only difference was, unlike when caring for a normal sister or daughter, they got paid well for it. So it wasn't as superficial as Mugi thought. She didn't see the emotional side of things, but her father had taught her the world of money is what controlled Earth's orbit. When it came to a job, she saw profit potential first.

But, she brushed it aside and sat down at the edge of her desk. She looked down at the bandage, and gently released the tapes from the pad. She was actually a bit nervous, and excited. She expected something gory, based on how the bandage looked, but when she peeled back the gauze, it was nothing more than a thin slice. About seven centimeters long. No tearing of the skin, no pulsing infections, no puss or blood spewing out the moment she took the bandage off. Nothing at all, just a simple line in her flesh surrounding by dried blood and some clear fluid.

And dang it, she was disappointed! All that drama! Having to leave class, bleeding on the floor and her skirt, panicking because of all the blood she was seeing, not even looking when the nurse cleaned the wound and wrapped it... and this was all she had to show? This wouldn't even turn into a scar!

She deflated, she had expected a gnarly scab, a bunch of pus, something infectious that she could brag about later in life. Something that would at least leave a scar on her body! She only had one scar, the only remnant she had from baby hood when she had been running a bit too quick for her two year old legs, and feel on a piece of wood in the field. Her father hadn't let her skate board, despite her desperately wanting to. Her mother didn't want her to play soccer.

She was a bit too protected. She had one little scar on her entire body, hidden in her armpit. And to many, that would be a proud thing... but scars were kind of cool in her opinion. They were a sign of how tough you were... more so than tattoos for her. They were signs of adventures you had had, struggles you had faced, pain you had over come. There was a point of excess of course, but a few scars here and there, Tsumugi really envied, and admired, those who had them.

Thus, her disappointment. She may not even get a scab for this cut. Just dried blood that she could flake off with her finger. What a let down for all that build up. So reluctantly, she taped on a new pad and gauze that the nurse had given her. It would last through the night, and the next day, she would be able to get normal bandages. The sense of elation and anticipation that she might get a scar from the cut disappeared as she lay in her bed and turned on the television.

It wasn't until much later in the night, after the sun had set and the moon was high in the air, and Tsumugi was everything but asleep that her phone buzzed on the night stand. No matter how tired she was, she could make time for her friends, and that was a rule for her. She flipped open the phone, looking at the sender. A text from a certain raven haired girl. "_Is your hand ok?_"

Mugi nodded, before hitting the keys one at a time with her left hand. Despite the lack of severity, she still didn't want to crack open the wound. Scars were cool. Bleeding all over the place was not. But, the text got sent all the same. "_YEs._" It said back. Normally, she would have corrected the extra capitalization... but it was late, and she had only one hand she wanted to use.

She waited a few minutes, looking to see if there was a reply. When there wasn't, she fell back in her bed. She drifted off... but woke right back up as the phone buzzed. She thought it was a text, but it buzzed again. A phone call? Mugi flipped the phone almost fast enough to break it. "Hello?"

"Hi... Tsumugi?" A small voice said on the other side.

"Yes?" Tsumugi responded, almost before the other person had had a chance to finish.

"I... I think I'm gonna need some help..."

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Ui wasn't exactly happy when she saw her sister, though elation took advantage of her moment of emotional weakness. Yui had been gone for hours past what she usually was, and Yui wasn't answering her cell phone Yui had turned her phone off, mostly out of habit. Ui knew, as her sister, that Yui wasn't the most diligent when it came to responding to text messages or cell phone calls. They just weren't a good way to get in touch with Yui.

That didn't change the fact that Ui was incredibly upset at the fact that Yui was remarkably later than she usually was coming home. And what's worse, she hadn't let Ui know, and it was past dark before she walked wistfully in the front door. Ui wanted to be mad at her sister, who had drifted in the door with a smile as bright as the moon beams outside... but she found it impossible. The only thing she felt was the purest level of relief she could experience.

Yui had barely even made it through the door and set her stuff down before a teary eyed Ui pulled her into a tight hug. She noticed Ui trembling slightly, out of worry and fear for what might have happened, and calmly melted into the hug. "Where were you?" Ui mumbled, still hugging tightly to Yui.

"I was with Azu-nyan!" Yui said innocently, pulling back to look in her sister's eyes. "We had a sectional!"

Ui paused for a second, the underlying anger disappearing slightly. "Why... why didn't you call?" She asked, sniffling slightly. She had rarely been more worried in her life, and she knew that if something happened... not only would she never forgive herself, but neither would her parents. Nor any of Yui's friends... one in particular came to Ui's mind.

"Aww... I'm sorry Ui-chan." Yui cooed, frowning deeply into a pout. "I lost track of the time."

Ui... wanted to reprimand her older sister. She wanted to so deeply bad it was hard for her to believe that she couldn't. But she remembered a key fact. She loved her sister to death, and what's more... she could NEVER have been the disciplinarian. No matter the requirement... she could never stay mad at Yui; it was impossible for her. She simply nodded and looked at her sister, wiping away her eyes. "Well... dinner is on the counter." She said with a bit of a sniffle.

Yui smiled at her sister and nodded. "Thank you Ui-chan!" She said, before giving Ui another tight hug and walking toward the kitchen.

Ui let her be. It was late, and the younger girl had wanted to hit the hay as soon as possible so she wouldn't be totally exhausted when push came to shove. The younger sister made her way to the bathroom, and then up to bed without a second thought. Her sister however, did not.

Yui warmed her dinner up in the microwave as directed by a note on it left by her sister. But as she ate, she couldn't believe how unbelievably hollow she felt inside. It confused her, because along with that hollow feeling was one of both extreme relief and joy. She had a hard time sitting still while eating her dinner simply because she was so excited at how the day had gone. After two years of working over Azusa with friendly hugs and innocent offers of kisses.

But, even though she was so happy she found herself smiling as she ate her food, the sinking feeling in her chest didn't leave her. It stayed just as strong as it was when she had first sat down. And before that, it had been stronger. When walking home, she became extremely apathetic, almost to the point of sleeping on a bench. But, albeit air-headed, she knew what a stupid idea that would have been.

And every time she thought about the kiss she had shared with Azusa, the feeling in her chest grew, and sank back again, almost like a pulse. Yui didn't like the feeling... it was almost sickening, and made the rest of her meal unappealing. Granted, she had eaten cake with Azusa not but a few hours ago, and she hadn't been modest about taking every slice Azusa offered. But that wasn't it.

Yui couldn't put her finger on it, but the strange sinking feeling in her chest and tummy just didn't go away. It only got worse as she thought about Azusa, about what had happened that day, which Yui REALLY had trouble understanding. Why would she be sad thinking about Azusa? When they had kissed, when they had talked, and when they had kissed again... Yui felt like she was walking on air. She had just accomplished the most difficult task of her life, which had run the past year and half of her life. Why did she feel so... off.

She put the left-overs from her meal in the fridge, before getting ready for bed. The feeling didn't go away, despite her taking as many deep breaths as she could without getting dizzy, and taking a few aspirin. Nothing seemed to work. Not food, not water, not even thinking about her accomplishment, and her relief.

Yui's scattered brained mind began to focus more and more on it as she brushed her teeth. It took her a while, but as she got into her pajamas and walked into her room, she finally began to pick up on the problem.

There were two of them. Both of them equally contributing to what she was feeling, and why she was unable to think about anything else at the moment. The first was as plain as day. She missed Azusa, already. Time passed too quickly while they were eating and talking, while she was trying to talk the young girl out of her shell and into more casual dialogue, simply enjoying the company of Azusa. She had never enjoyed any one's company more, aside from when she was a tiny little kid and enjoyed attention in any case.

But missing Azusa and being disappointed that they hadn't spent more time together that day was only half of the problem. The sinking feeling worsened slightly at simply thinking about Azusa, but Yui knew that it wasn't just because she missed her. After all, she knew she would see Azusa tomorrow. Problem solved. But... what about the other half of the problem?

It took Yui longer to get this one, long after she crawled under her covers and settled down in bed for the night. Long after she had tried to clear her mind and fall asleep. Long after she had given up to try and figure the problem out. It didn't come until "tomorrow" had started, but it hit Yui like a rock. It was blatantly obvious. She was slightly disappointed in her subconscious for feeling this way, but she knew it. As cruel as it was, Yui was a bit disappointed that the chase was over.

After all, the chase had been excitement in her life since Azusa joined the club. Not the only excitement, not by a long shot, but always present. Every time she was near Azusa, she would use her subtle sneakiness to get close to her. As strange as it was, she liked the journey required to get there. She liked it when Azusa pushed her away slightly, or refused her little kisses in a more... aggressive fashion. Not that she enjoyed Azusa's palm smacking into her face, but she liked the fight of it. The excitement. Like what a tiger got when it was hunting down a tourist. At least, that's what Yui imagined a tiger's diet consisted of.

But now, the chase was over. In Yui's mind, her short little "more-than-friendship" kiss was the lock on a new stage in her and Azusa's life. She visualized herself, the tiger, standing over her fresh prey. The running was over, the two years of excitement and adrenaline running through her body constantly fading away from her veins as she realized that she didn't have to run any more.

She had her prey, but unlike a tiger, she wouldn't have to hunt again if she played her cards right. That brought a whole new feeling of relief, and deepened the sinking feeling in her chest, washed over her. It almost seemed like a negative to her, that she wouldn't get to have the fun of the chase any more... but she was reminded of something as she reminisced on what it had taken to get her where she was that night.

When she started the chase, she had liked it quite a bit. It was fun, and it gave her something to do so she wouldn't have to play a guitar. But... after nothing more than two weeks, she began to get discouraged by the fact that Azusa wasn't responding in any way that she took as positive. She accepted the hugs, sure, but that didn't mean much to Yui. She gave out hugs like candy.

Yui almost giggled as she remembered that along with chasing her prey came weeks and months of disappointment. She wouldn't have proposed a "friendship kiss" in the first place had she not been so frustrated that Azusa didn't seem to be making any progress forward with her. That was the end of her second year, and she was sick of waiting. The kiss was like a test, and the only indication she had to keep trying was Azusa's blush.

The sinking feeling got more shallow as Yui realized that although relationships had ups and downs, there was far less risk than chasing your prey. Yui had to be careful not to be too pushy in her relationship with Azusa, just like a tiger had to be careful when eating not to swallow a bone whole and choke to death. But that was nothing compared to the chase.

In the two years she was "chasing" Azusa, constantly working every angle she had, Yui had to be incredibly careful. She had to wait, and gauge constantly what was appropriate or not. Yui was having trouble not seeing a tiger stalking its prey, the analogy worked for her so well! She had to be careful not to be too aggressive, not scare away poor little Azusa. That would have been bad for her, and bad for Keion.

The now shallow sinking feeling was now nothing more than a tickle in Yui's chest as she closed her eyes to try and get back to sleep. Sure the chase was pretty much over for her and their lips had locked their fate, but there was still a bit to be done. Mostly bring Azusa out of her shell so Yui could kiss her in public, or hold her hand while they were out on the town. But that wasn't what Yui took solace in.

Yui found comfort, as she drifted to sleep, in the fact that even though the chase was over, something much better had started. After all, her parents were never sad or upset in front of her. Her parents had been married for the course of her life, and even before that. And they were still as happy as they could be with each other, constantly happy and affectionate. Sure, they were married, but Yui was positive that even with neigh-sayers and struggle from some institutions, she and Azusa would be fine. More than fine even. They would be safe, secure, and above all else... happy.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

This one was kind of a reflection chapter, a little break from the constant action that had been going on constantly and a chance for them to catch their breath. I think it was about time for all the excitement to kind of settle for a chapter. I hope you enjoyed it all the same.

Even though it was mostly an emotional insight chapter, some stuff did happen. Mio's phone call to Mugi will be revealed in the next chapter.

If you get some time, feel free to leave a review! Flattery, compliments, complaints, insight, whatever you please. I love seeing what you guys are thinking of the now novel length story.

Thanks to all of you for reading!


	16. Chapter 16

Mugi practically shot out of her bed as her alarm woke her up. She was excited, plain and simple, no other way to say it. Despite having stayed up so late talking on her phone and carefully thinking, way further past her bed time than she could ever have remembered doing in the past, she was full of an almost turbulent energy. The help greeted her as she walked down the hall towards her bathroom, uniform in hand, and she greeted them back almost ten fold, with a smile that lit up the space around her.

She jumped in the shower, running not on sleep but on self-built, emotionally generated energy only. And it was seemingly more than enough for her to function. She felt as though she had drunk four energy drinks as she stepped into the shower and began to wash. She still couldn't believe her unbelieveable luck.

No. Not luck. Winning a crappy mall lottery was what most could call luck. Last night's phone call had been a little lucky all the same, but there was something else that had contributed to it. And that was what many would call skill.

At nearly midnight, Mugi had picked up her phone to answer a text message. At just after midnight, she had picked it up out of pure curiosity. It wasn't until a few minutes later did her body fire up with an energy she had never felt before. It wasn't easy for her to come to terms with it at first, but she composed herself enough to realize that in the end, it made more than enough sense.

It had been a fairly decent phone call, with Mugi pacing back and forth constantly the entire time to vent energy, and a small voice on the other end explaining the difficult situation that had befallen her. It had been a pretty meaningful phone call to both of them, but for different reasons entirely.

For the small voice on the other end, the voice Mio used when she was in a state of shock, shame, or vulnerability... the phone call was her gathering advice and venting her frustrations and confusions to what seemed like a constantly open ear. Even Mio couldn't believe what she was telling Tsumugi, mostly because she was exhausted and had been eating herself alive internally.

Mio had tried to sleep for hours before she called Tsumugi. She couldn't get the fact that actually "liked" her best friend out of her head... and frankly, it made her feel sick to her stomach. She almost felt like she was betraying Ritsu at this point. She couldn't exactly figure out why, but she assumed that there were plenty of reasons. Was normal friendship not good enough for her? That was one reason. Was she some kind of pervert? There was another one. Was she deceitful for not having told Ritsu she was gay?

That one was a more complicated question, but in Mio's state, she took it as fair play. It wasn't by any means. The only reason she knew she was gay was because of Ritsu. She couldn't have told Ritsu she was gay without letting Ritsu in on her little crush, and Mio wasn't sure what that little crush might do to their cherished friendship. They were called "crushes" for a reason weren't they?

As much as it hurt Mio, she knew that to be true. She had even gone so far as to try and deny that she "liked" her best friend. She had spent a good chunk of time trying to convince herself of that just so she could get some sleep. But it hadn't worked. Just like before, when she couldn't come to terms with the fact that she liked Ritsu... now she couldn't deny everything that had happened. The cards had turned, and now even if Mio wanted to, she couldn't deny her attractions.

Mio had lain in bed for a few hours, trying to think about anything that she could do. She tried to will the thoughts away, make it seem like everything was how it was before hand, not even a week prior. But the moment she stopped trying to think about other things, Ritsu's impish grin, or almond eyes, or even her in her swimsuit during the summer... they all came right back to Mio.

Shame and confusion were the only emotions that Mio was feeling as she picked up her phone and tried to text Nodoka. But the clock told her that Nodoka would already be in bed... and would she be the reliable resource that Mio needed? Mio needed a friend, at least someone to talk with... but wouldn't it also be nice to have someone with experience in this kind of thing? Nodoka, as far as Mio knew, didn't have that experience.

She texted Mugi, a simple question to see if Mugi was still awake and she wouldn't be interrupting. She practically broke her phone waiting for a reply, but Mugi replied almost as promptly as always.

With that, Mio called her. Mugi listened, just as Mio had hoped at the start as she recapped in short what she was feeling. She thanked Mugi for the advice she had given, and how it had really helped... but then she explained her new problem. She could have sworn she heard a clunk on the other end as she said the simple phrase, "I like Ritsu."

And she had heard a clunk. Mugi, for little reason, had lost grip on her phone and fumbled for it until it hit the ground. But she quickly got it back to her ear. From there, Mugi listened as Mio explained how she felt, her worries, her fears, and anything else Mio wanted to share with her.

Mugi was as happy as a clam. But, her work wasn't done yet. No, her work was still plenty in progress. But now, she knew there was a consensual attraction between both Ritsu and Mio, which is what she had been working on planning for the last few months, despite it only being in action for a few days now. But, now there was a different trouble she had to work on.

She sympathized with Mio completely. She remembered being eleven years old and finding out that she wasn't like all the other "normal" little girls. She remembered feeling ashamed by what she felt towards other girls, feeling ashamed of the fact that she didn't have the same tastes as they did. If she had one weakness, it was that she wanted to do everything to please everyone... and when she couldn't participate in the, "Who do you like?" discussions, she felt terrible.

She didn't tell anyone what she was feeling. She hoped it would go away. She felt like an outcast, and like such an abnormality. She was afraid to let any one down, to let them in on her dirty little secret. It wasn't until late middle school that she fully discovered that she wasn't some sort of freak.

Mugi knew exactly what Mio was going through. She remembered that when she discovered that she liked other girls, it was easy enough to see that. She had clear indications that she was attracted to her classmates. Discovery was easy... it was accepting the fact and coming to terms with it that was harder. She knew that was part of Mio's insecurity right there.

So they talked, Mio talking out her inhibitions and her fears, and Mugi simply listening and responding when appropriate. Mio still needed a bit of time before Mugi could push them together.

Mio seemed to calm down slightly as they talked, and at the end of their conversation, she thanked Mugi before hanging up and falling asleep almost instantly. Mugi didn't.

Now she had a lot to think about. Her job of finding out if Mio was gay or not, and coincidently finding out if she could be attracted to Ritsu, was done. Mio was, and her attraction was self-proclaimed. Mugi could tell by how quiet Mio had been talking that there was no lie, or uncertainty in her voice. Just fear and anxiety.

But Mugi knew that if she played her cards right, she could break down those insecurities and bring them together full force. She didn't just want to tell Mio that Ritsu was attracted to her as well, because that could have over whelmed Mio. That may have made things a little too real for the poor girl. But before they parted, Mugi left Mio with one last piece of advice. "Just tell her when you are ready, and when you feel safe enough doing so. She cares about you. She'll understand no matter what. Ricchan is like that."

Mugi knew that as soon as Mio was comfortable enough, she would tell Ritsu. Mugi wouldn't have to tell Ritsu, and she wouldn't. If she did, Ritsu might loose self control at the good news and tell Mio inadvertently. Heck, when Mio said, "I like Ritsu." Mugi almost shouted back into the phone, "She likes you too!" Only by nearly biting her tongue off was she able to restrain herself.

No, she would not tell Ritsu that Mio was attracted to her. She felt that would be a mistake. However, she could help make things more comfortable for Mio. A lot faster. She would simply tell Ritsu to start brining up hints more and more often, and with Mio being as smart and observant as she was, the hints would hit her like a ton of bricks.

Mugi went through her entire morning routine with the same vigor and life that had enveloped her like a blanket since waking. The help had never seen her in such a state of energy, usually only when she had a performance coming up did she end up in this kind of mood, which was both happy and detached. All of her replies to their questions were one or two honest words, before she moved on with her day, past their "conversation" and to her next adventure.

Normally, Mugi would have talked with them and out of excitement told them she had a show coming up... but there had been no talk this time around. Which had them a bit worried, but when asked what was up, she simply replied with, "Nothing really." or, "Just some stuff." before moving on. There was no way she would tell them what was actually up.

No only because it was a long story, and would take her entire time eating breakfast to explain it to one of the workers... but that wasn't the main reason why she didn't tell any one. No, she could easily share her stories when asked. But this was a sensitive subject.

After all, no one who even had a chance of meeting her father in person would ever even get a hint about her orientation. She had never told her father, or even mentioned crushes in front of her father. As far as he knew, she was completely normal in everything she did. Sexual orientation, being in a simple club, anything really. Mugi was very careful around the subject of love with her father.

When he or her mother was home, she tried to avoid the subject of school. Her mother was smart, and could pick up on emotions at the slightest hint of it. Mugi knew that when she talked about any of the girls she knew at school, her speech was slightly altered. But, her father was the one she was most worried about. Because unlike her mother, her father would pursue something until he got a yes or no answer.

Mugi could hint blatantly to her sexuality with a comment like, "Mio and Yui, my friends, held hands today. It was cute!" and her mother would drop it. Tsumugi didn't know exactly how her mother felt about the entire subject, but then again, it wasn't her she was worried about. If her father heard something like that come out of her mouth, he would cock an eye brow and barrage her with ten million questions until he tricked her into giving an answer.

And if Mugi tried to lie... she knew she would be caught. First and foremost, she was a terrible liar. It wasn't something she had to do so often, so when she tried, it came out weak and stuttered. Not a good poker face. Second off, even if she could lie as well as the best, like Sawako or Ritsu, her father had a chance of seeing through it. He was a huge business owner, and made deals with incredible amounts of people. He knew a lie when he heard it, and saw it. Mugi had no chance.

So, for the last five or six years, Mugi avoided the topic of crushes entirely. Needless to say, she wanted someone to talk to about it... but she didn't want her father to get an inclination. Thankfully, he had never asked. Mugi was terrified of what he might do, of what he might think if he found out. She did her best to make everyone happy, and giving her father a heart attack definitely wouldn't be the best. To shatter the illusion he had built up, that she was a perfectly "normal" little girl, would break Mugi's heart.

And, she had to think business! What would having a homosexual daughter do for her father's company? Mugi had learned this stuff; big business ran in her blood since her mother and father tended to discuss it whenever they were around. It was hard not to when the majority of their life revolved around that. And she knew that her being gay wasn't going to do many favors for her fathers company.

So, Mugi headed to the train stop and boarded. She didn't bother discussing with any of her staff, but wished them all a nice day before she left the house and headed out to school. She felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement as she watched the other people go about with their routine on the railway. It wasn't early, not as much as yesterday any ways, and the morning crowds on the subway were usually the safest to be around. Truth was; she had never really been afraid while riding on the train.

As she got off the train, walking the short distance towards the school, she looked towards the sun. Not at it of course, she was smarter than that... but in the general direction of the warm, energetic light. It took her a ways to walk, but she didn't mind it. She was a morning person. And an evening person. Actually, an all around person. The only part of the day she didn't always like was dusk. It bummed her out some times.

She made her way through the school gates and towards the third floor so she could get ready for her day. It was far earlier than she needed to be. But, needless to say as she took out her cell phone to text Ritsu to meet her in home room early, it was going to be an exciting day. She needed as much of a head start as she could get.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Ritsu had waited for Mio, as usual, simply killing the time while waiting for her best friend to get ready walk with her. It was a ritual they had developed or the years in Sakuragaoka Secondary. Whenever possible, they would accompany each other for an early morning stroll. Whether their walk was ablaze with conversation, or quiet and peaceful, or even palpably awkward... Ritsu always enjoyed it. The only time she hadn't wanted to walk to school with Mio was at the end of their second year. Because of their minor fight.

And why did they have that minor fight? Ritsu, at the time, thought it was simply because Mio's attention was being diverted from her to Nodoka. The brunette shook her head, snickering slightly before looking at Mio's door. Sure, it was attention related, but deep down Ritsu knew now that it wasn't just because she was afraid to lose her best friend. She was afraid, on some deep subconscious level, that Nodoka would steal her away.

Ritsu snickered slightly, watching through the window as Mio said good-bye to her mother. She wasn't worried about Nodoka as much any more; she knew what to look for. And Nodoka hadn't been flirting at all, at least not from what Ritsu noticed. No no, she wasn't worried about it in the slightest. Her optimism hadn't died down one bit. It was still running full force.

Ritsu smiled warmly at Mio as the long haired girl stepped out from her house with her bag over her shoulder. "Morning Mio-chan!" The overly energetic brunette said with an energy almost foreign to Mio this early in the morning. Ritsu, unlike another girl in the club, was not a morning person. Probably because she was up until the wee hours of it nearly each and every day.

Mio opened her eyes in surprise, looking at Ritsu, pulling her head back slightly. "Good morning Ritsu." She said cautiously, giving Ritsu a second glance. "Are you feeling alright?"

Ritsu flashed her impish smile, shrugging her shoulders, looking upwards into Mio's eyes with a coy expression. "Of course." She said with the devil's grin, "You ready to get going?"

Mio looked back at her door, before nodding and making her way off of the steps to her front door. She got next to Ritsu, and smiled at her weakly before looking straight forward. Ritsu's grin faded on the outside, but on the inside it grew even more. She felt a confidence inside of her that burned like a fire, seeing the small blush on her face.

Ritsu had always loved the fact that Mio wore her emotions on her sleeve. It made it easy to tell if something was up with her. And now, it made everything a bit easier for her. Mugi was incredible at detecting small changes in emotions, but Ritsu knew that the smile Mio had given her was a nervous smile. One almost coined by the raven haired teen.

They walked. Mio didn't really talk much; she wasn't in the talkative mood today. Ritsu did a lot of talking, mentioning everything from grades, to college, to weather, to her stupid kid brother, to American politics. However, as they walked, Ritsu mentioned one thing that really caught Mio's attention.

"Hey, I really like your earrings." Was Ritsu's comment, which followed a gust of wind that had blown her hair back for just a second. Mio blushed slightly. Both at the compliment, and because of another reason.

"Thanks." She said, running a hand up to run her hand along them. "You gave them to me." And that was the only reason Mio had worn them. The tacky, obviously fake blue and green gems in the swirling stainless steel frame didn't match a single thing she had in her closet. Ritsu had given them to her ages ago, probably when they were ten, and Mio had kept them ever since. Despite them being tacky, she had always loved them.

Ritsu smiled at her and looked forward, tilting her head and putting her hands behind it to brace. "I know." She said nonchalantly, exhaling slightly as she looked towards that accursed morning sun that penetrated seemingly everything in the world when she was just trying to sleep. But, because Ritsu was so busy trying to play it off as nothing, she didn't notice Mio pulling her hair over her ear, while trying to hide the faint blush messily smeared across her nose and cheeks.

This was the reason Mio hadn't wanted to walk with Ritsu that day, and had taken her time trying to stall and compose herself. She knew she couldn't hide things very well. She was even worse than Mugi when it came to that, and although she could lie better, hiding things wasn't a strong point. And she didn't want to make a fool out of herself. Not only would Ritsu begin to strongly suspect things, but Mio would also make a fool of herself in front of the girl she had a crush on. That was a double loss.

But, as they walked, Ritsu got a text message. She flipped it open, curiously, reading the one word on the screen. "Hurry". And that was it. She looked at the sender, and it was Mugi. She assumed she knew what it meant; she quickly got in front of Mio.

"Hey, I forgot, I have to do something before class starts." She said, putting her hand on Mio's shoulder. "Talk to you in home room." She said simply, staring into Mio's eyes. Before sliding her hand off of Mio's shoulder and running towards the school.

Mio watched Ritsu run away, a look of confusion on her face, before a thought popped in her head. Her face flushed with a blush, and a second later, she looked away from where Ritsu was running. Even though she was a tad disappointed to have lost her walking buddy, apparently she was just as happy to watch Ritsu go. She put her hands to her face and took a couple of deep breaths, closing her eyes to let the blush wash away from her cheeks.

She felt a bit of guilt at having watched Ritsu run the whole time, mainly the lower half of her, but it quickly went away. You couldn't blame a wandering eye could you? It just happened sometimes, without you even realizing it. That was Mio's story, and dang it, she was sticking to it!

She continued her walk to school, thinking about nothing and everything all at once. Occasionally, she would catch her hand wandering up to her ear. She would catch the feeling of the stainless steel metal, and the small plastic gems inside of it. She looked towards the sun, and smiled a little bit. She took a calming breath and walked through the calm morning town.

She wasn't sure what she was going to do. Sure, she could do what Mugi had said... but had Mugi ever done something like this? Confessing to her best friend of over ten years? That was a trial and a task for Mio. She didn't want to jeopardize anything she had going with Ritsu. Ruining that friendship would kill her inside. But, Mio knew that she wasn't discreet or stoic enough to hide this forever. Ritsu would either find out just by Mio's slightly altered behavior, or Mio would crack and tell her in person. Or maybe, Ritsu would return her feelings and their problems would be solved just like that. Mio could only pray for that. It was way easier on her conscience.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

"Yui-senpai please let go!" Azusa cried out, making a visible effort to try and get to her second year home room with Ui. Yui however, was holding on to the second year, rubbed her head against Azusa's as the smaller girl tried to drag her along with her.

"Azu-nyan..." She cooed, pushing her face against Azusa's, her hands wrapped around the dark haired girl's neck and shoulder. Azusa had been late that day, despite Yui being almost as early as she was the day prior. And Yui had missed Azusa all night, not to the point of not sleeping, but to the point of waking up with that same dreadful empty feeling inside of her chest.

But, the moment she saw Azusa and wrapped her arms around the Kouhai, that sinking feeling immediately alleviated itself. And why shouldn't it have? She wanted to see Azusa so bad it was obviously contributing to that feeling. Now that she was seeing Azusa, she was perfectly content. The down side was that Azusa tended to show up near the last minute, since she lived so close to the school.

And even though the bell was about a minute from making her late to class, she was getting every single second of hug she could before having to go to home room. She clung tightly, with Azusa trying to make her way forth, and Ui staring on from the side, giggling to herself slightly.

"Senpai, I'm going to see you in first hour!" Azusa said, desperately trying to break free from Yui so she wouldn't shatter her perfect on time record for that year. "Please, I have to get to class!"

Yui, after some internal debate, wistfully let go of Azusa's neck. Azusa turned to look at her, smiling a little and giving a little wave. "Thanks Yui! See you in a bit!" She said, before darting off with Ui to get to their class. Yui wasn't... notorious for being on time, and she sorrowfully trudged up the stairs, back to the third floor so she could get to her class.

She hadn't wanted to part, especially since she only got to see Azusa for a few minutes before they parted. And that wasn't nearly enough. The only thing that actually got her detached from Azusa was the promise that they would see each other again in a little less than an hour. Yui wasn't the patient type by any means, but when forced to wait she could. She wrote off their encounter as a minor booster, a short encounter with Azusa. Like a dose of what she would have more of in a bit, a little taste to get her through her day.

The bell rang just as Azusa and Ui were rushing into their seats. Ui had only small clues as to why her big sister was so clingy to her best friend. She guessed that they had had more drama, once again while she wasn't present, thus why Yui was so late coming home from their "sectional" last night. Ui did take note that over the past few days, Azusa had been acting a bit stranger around Yui than in times past.

So, using what little knowledge she had in this kind of stuff, she assumed that something had to be happening between them. Plus the fact that Yui was so much more affectionate... there had to be something up. She was confident she could talk with her Onee-chan about it.

Azusa breathed a sigh of relief as the teacher walked in after them, glad to see that she couldn't be marked late. She also breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that she had managed to get Yui detached from her before something more serious happened. It wasn't unlike Yui to give such long and drawn out hugs on occasion, but if Yui had decided to replay the events of yesterday's eve... Azusa wouldn't have been pleased by it.

There were two things that would have bothered her about it. First, it would have ruined her composure in front of her friend, and all the on lookers in the hall way. In private, like late last night in the music room, Yui being more intimate was ok with Azusa. Even though it caught her almost completely off guard, she still took definite pleasure in it, even to the point of feeling light headed after wards.

The kiss outside on the school grounds as they parted made her a little more nervous, but she assumed that she would be safe since no one she knew was around. It wasn't that she had a problem kissing or hugging Yui... even with a little embarrassment, which would get easier to deal with and lighter over time as she got used to Yui's affectionate ways.

The one thing she was scared of most however was how people were going to find out about her and Yui becoming an item. She wasn't sure if Ui already knew, but she assumed that she did not. If Ui had made any hints pertaining to relationships, or how up-beat Yui seemed, or anything of that sort... Azusa would have known Yui had spilled something. But Ui hadn't, not all morning, and Azusa thanked the heavens for that.

She wanted to be formal when she came out with it. She was still having a little trouble trying to accustom herself to the idea of Yui, her senpai almost two years strong, was in an "intimate relationship" with her. The idea was still settling, especially since Yui had refused to answer the almost standard question, "Will you go out with me?" No, Yui had made things complicated in Azusa's formal and straight forward mindset. But, that was one of the things she adored about her senpai... if Azusa could say ANYTHING about Yui, it was that she was original.

But, a kiss in the middle of the hallway with all the on lookers... that was not the way she wanted to declare her love to the world... even if she was a little unsure about the declaration herself. After all, she wasn't entirely sure what Yui considered a relationship. She was certain it wasn't going to be like a traditional couple, and not just in the fact that she and Yui were the same sex. No, with someone like Yui, she had no idea what to expect in terms of romance. Did kissing make them officially a couple?

In Azusa's mindset, she accepted the fact that it did, and she wasn't going to try and break the code to Yui's mind. But, Yui was a confusing person. Azusa would definitely have to ask her about it later. Maybe in first hour she could take care of that task. If Yui gave a straight forward answer, as Azusa prayed she would, the problem would be solved.

And once she had an answer, Azusa wanted to tell the people who mattered most in her world of what was happening between her and Yui. Ui would find out from her sister, that would probably soften whatever blow there was. Jun could find out from Ui. No, the people she wanted to tell before anything was exposed to the world were the people she had grown to know best in the school over her time in it. The club.

But, in an all girls' school, gossip spread like wild fire. If one unrelated bystander saw Yui kiss any part of Azusa, even her hand or her cheek, there would be chatter around the school by the end of first period, and all the members of the club would probably be a bit confused by it. Maybe because they weren't told, confused when it happened, and whatever backlash would follow.

So Azusa would continue to push back from Yui until the club knew. She decided it would be that day, at lunch, once she had an answer from Yui. If Yui said that she and Azusa weren't anything above what they were before, which Azusa strongly doubted, then lunch would go by quietly. But if Azusa got a yes, she would suck it up and tell the club. She was already feeling nervous for it.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

And the build-up begins once more. A bit more Azusa and Yui fluff, as well as insight to her confusions... as well as Mugi setting up to let Ritsu off of her leash and finally bring Mio and Ritsu together as they should be.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, finally the story is starting to reach for its dramatic conclusions. But not quite yet... I would love to see it at 100,000 words before I'm done. We'll have to wait and see I guess.

As always, reviews are much appreciated. If I haven't thanked you personally for the reviews you've given (anonymous reviews unfortunately omitted), then I thank you now!

More next week! Sorry about the scene break thing... it's confusing and I had to update in a bit of a hurry. It should be fixed now though.


	17. Chapter 17

Ritsu had bustled into the classroom with plenty of time to spare. Tsumugi had been waiting excitedly for her, a small smile on her face. Though, surprisingly enough to Ritsu, Mugi didn't have much to say. It was nice, at least by hearing Mugi's advice verbally, she saved the time waiting for minutes to pass at a time while Mugi wrote a neat note, tried to refold it, and pass it extremely carefully. They were completely alone, no other students wanted to be in class that early, and Sawako was notorious for being one of the latest teachers to arrive to class.

Ritsu expected more to come from Tsumugi's mouth, but then she remembered that Tsumugi wasn't the extremely talkative type... at least, not that she had ever seen. She wasn't an ancient limo driver though... She took careful consideration of what Mugi had said. The gist of it was, "I think it's time that you push forward a little more. I've thought about it... I think that if you started complimenting her a little more on just random stuff, and then started mentioning romance a little more, it'll be enough. Good luck Ricchan!"

And that was what Ritsu had hurried to class for. She nodded in recognition, but she already had half of that covered. She complimented Mio's earrings, and albeit for self-recognition as well as making Mio feel better, it was a compliment all the same. She could easily focus a little more on mentioning romance in simple conversations. Heck, she knew just by looking at Mio's song writing that romance was a common thing for the raven haired teen to think about. Ritsu was clever; she knew that she could easily allude to romance in casual conversation.

From there, Ritsu and Mugi exchanged a bit of casual conversation, but Ritsu felt confident and easily changed the subject away from Mio, and more towards just normal stuff. Mugi was glad for it, because she was biting her tongue and digging her fingers into her thigh to stop herself from appearing too excited. And she did it well enough to pass, even though she knew that her leg was jumping slightly, and her free hand shook a bit more than normal. What could she say? She was excited for Ritsu. And for Mio.

Ritsu was happy to finally getting a little more wiggle room in what she was doing, not constantly having to be super careful and restrict herself. She wasn't even sure how necessary Mugi was at this point. Ritsu was confident in her ability to play it by ear from this point. But, she knew it would hurt Mugi to hear her say that. Especially after all the she had done.

Conversation for the next few minutes as people started to trickle into the classroom covered everything from new cell phones, to classes, to Mugi's hand -which was doing far better, barely even needed bandages any more-, and back to classes again. It flowed between them with ease, both about as knowledgeable about the other given whatever subject. Ritsu liked it better that way, talking with Mugi about something that wouldn't cause loads of stress.

But, as soon as Ritsu saw a tell-tale shimmer of light, reflecting off of Mio's midnight hair, she quickly wrapped up her conversation with Mugi. What could she say, she was feeling brave. Mugi completely happily excused her, before quickly turning her attention to the front of the class, waiting for Sawako to arrive and take attendance, as well as make whatever announcements she needed to. Ritsu however, took advantage of Sawako's space of absence to make her way over to talk with Mio.

She didn't even realize it, but it would be the first time she'd talked to Mio in prep period since last Wednesday. Mio settled down, beginning to get her stuff out, and Ritsu jumped into the desk just to the side of her. "Hey sorry about that. I didn't mean to leave so quickly." Ritsu said casually. "I just had to check something really quick with Mugi."

Mio looked towards Ritsu, a bit surprised to be joined on this side of the room by her friend. Sure, there was a seating chart, but Sawako wasn't adamant about it. The only people who usually observed it were Mugi and Mio. "Ohh ya, no problem." Mio said with a casual smile.

The grayed eyed girl wasn't quite sure about how she felt, but it was definitely different than she would have felt just days prior. Even one day ago, she would have wanted Ritsu clear across the room while she and Nodoka could discuss things... but today, Mio didn't have anything new to tell Nodoka. Mugi had given her what she needed, with an aura of empathy and sympathy that Nodoka most likely couldn't provide. Mio wasn't entirely sure... Nodoka was an incredible friend, but she just didn't have the same air about her that Mugi had.

Ritsu made herself at home, and immediately found an opening. Her mind worked quickly when it needed to. "So... the school festival is coming up." She said casually, kicking back in her seat, putting her feet on the empty seat in front of her. "You been working on any new songs?"

Mio looked up from her notes and shrugged. "Yes, but it's not anywhere near ready yet."

"Ahh alright. I can't wait to read it." Ritsu said plainly, before turning her attention away from Mio, trying to calm her beating heart. It was a lie, but unlike other members of the Keion club, she could lie effortlessly and smoothly, making almost anything sound like the truth. She disliked Mio's lyrics most of the time... but she'd gotten used to them, and liked them simply because Mio wrote them. But frankly... they were SO gooey.

They literally dripped with "girliness", which wasn't traditionally what Ritsu looked for in music. More of an alternative rock fan, than a romantic pop. Which made Keion difficult at times... but she learned over time to get used to romantic pop more and more. Still, she wished inside that she could have something more edgy than what Mio came up with. The lie was told for one reason though; it was exactly what Mio wanted to hear. "Really?" She heard in an almost shocked voice.

Ritsu turned her attention back to Mio. "Hmm?"

"You really want to hear them? They're a LOT like Fuwa Fuwa time... and you hated that when I first wrote it." Even over two years ago, Mio didn't forget that.

"Nah, I'm looking forward to it." Not entirely a lie, mostly because Mio had toned down the extreme feminine influences... but still pretty generous. But hey, it was all about what Mio wanted to hear. And if Mio was happy, so was Ritsu.

Mio smiled and nodded, even blushing a little bit but making no effort to hide it. Maybe because she didn't really care if Ritsu saw her blush, but most likely because she was still a little flustered from Ritsu's compliment. Never, not even once in their three years in a band, could she remember Ritsu ever complimenting her song writing style. Which she understood, she knew Ritsu well, and she knew what kind of music Ritsu was into.

But, although Mio had given countless attempts to play to everyone's likes as far as lyrics went... it was out of her element and often came off sounding terrible. Alternative rock wasn't Mio's strong point, and she was always amazed by the success of bands who wrote romance in a blunt way, ignoring emotions most of the time. How she could ignore emotions? They were one of the most important things in the world to her.

And Ritsu knew that. Emotions meant a lot in her world as well, but not on the same level as Mio. And that was why she had needed Mugi's help all along, because she knew that on her own, she had a strong chance of just making things perpetually awkward between the two best friends. But on some level, Ritsu understood Mio's emotions. That's why she had never pushed to change any of their song lyrics, aside from the first simply because she thought it would be a general consensus to do so. It wasn't the case at all.

Besides, Ritsu knew that when push came to shove, if the lyrics she pitched were just far too sweet for the audience, the group would gently break the news to Mio that they wouldn't quite work out. So, lie or no lie, Ritsu was scotch free on her little white lie.

Nodoka smiled without even realizing it. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Ritsu, and although that worried her at first considering where Mio had been mentally the last few days, after a few minutes she was happy about it. Finally, the dynamic duo were finally back to normal... or so it seemed from her peripheral viewpoint. She didn't want to be rude, so she didn't watch the directly, just out of the corner of her eye.

She had been worried for Mio. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like for stuff to become awkward around Yui. She loved Yui like a sister, and although Mio liked Ritsu in a little less sisterly fashion, Nodoka felt bad for her all the same. If she herself had had feelings for Yui, she was sure she would be a wreck as well, simply out of the fear of wrecking everything that they had built over most of their life times.

But from the looks of it, things were returning to normal, aside from Mio looking a bit more squirrelly than usual. But Nodoka understood that completely, she still had a pretty vivid memory of her note-based conversation with Mio the day prior. But all the same, it appeared that they would be fine, and that everything was settled. At least... that's what Nodoka could see out of the corner of her eye.

Mugi however, sat a couple rows back from either of them, and clear across the room, and she didn't have to look out of the corner of her eyes to watch the two. She could watch them like a movie. She kept a cautious eye on Ritsu, making sure she wasn't going to try anything too drastic. Mugi worried that perhaps the way she had delivered the news made it seem a little too promising, that there wasn't any room for screw up... but there definitely was. But, as Mugi looked on between the two of them, she realized that the room for screw up was getting smaller and smaller.

Mio conversed with Ritsu a bit awkwardly, true, but there were no stuttered words, or any obvious signs of nervousness. And from the looks of it, Ritsu was handling the situation as calmly and coolly as possible. She didn't over exert her presence; she gave Mio room to reply, and above all, her flattery was slipped in at an opportune moment. And, she didn't press the subject. She let Mio control the flow of conversation.

Mugi blushed slightly and looked down at her desk, away from the two, as Yui entered the room. She seemed to have forgotten that Ritsu had the ability to be smooth... which in a sense made her a little ashamed of herself. Ritsu didn't need her hand to be held constantly, she needed to live and to learn and have room to be herself. Mugi felt a bit upset with herself for not granting Ritsu more of that room earlier. It was then that she noticed Yui practically fall into the desk in front of her.

"Mugi-chan..." Yui cooed half-heartedly. Tsumugi looked down at her, an anticipating expression on her face. "Girls are so confusing..."

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Sawako didn't do much, aside from announce the play which they would be performing and that casting would be determined by class votes once all the roles and potential candidates were picked out from the group. Romeo and Juliet... Sawako may or may not have known it, but she had just given Ritsu a candy store to play in. As she and Mio walked towards their philosophy class, she could already tell that Mio was a bit nervous by even having a chance to play a lead role. She that in a class vote, her odds of being picked for a leading role were pretty variable. She didn't know if any members of her fan club might be in that class... or how many of them there were.

That was probably what scared Mio the most of all. She didn't know who was in that dreaded fan club, or even how many people were in it. The fact that Sogabe's card, when they found it last year, had said "#0001"... but there was no way the club had that many members. But still... that means that they had prepared for having over one thousand members... and obviously they didn't just start with membership cards. They had to have had them made.

That was what worried Mio most of all. Every single member of her class, aside from all the people she trusted like Ritsu or Tsumugi or Nodoka, could be in her fan club! If that was the case... she would get a main role without a problem. Whether she wanted it or not.

But Ritsu had read this play before, for one of her less advanced literature classes. Mio always took advanced placement classes, in an effort to boost her grade point average and potentially earn college credit... where Ritsu always took the easiest classes required for her to graduate. And by some strange twist of fate, she knew that the infamous kiss between Romeo and Juliet at the near end of the play... it wasn't the only kiss in the play by a long shot. Romeo and Juliet kissed quite a bit before that, and far less innocently than the little peck at the end of the play.

And even other roles manage to lock lips quite a bit. But Mio didn't exactly know that, and Ritsu would be generous enough not to remind her, despite her excitement. The only thing that bothered the brunette was that Mio was at risk of being exploited simply based on the fact that she was adorable.

But all the same, as far as mentioning romance, Ritsu had enough room to drive a truck through. But what angle to work on Mio... what angle to work and push Mio along furthest without pushing her over. Though Mio herself didn't realize it, Ritsu knew that quite a few girls in the class would occasionally steal a glance at the long legged beauty. To Ritsu, that told her that Mio would be getting a leading roll.

And something inside of Mio screamed to the poor girl that she would be getting a leading roll. And Mio would have been just fine with that, had it not been for the simple reason that not only would she be the center of attention, something far more suited for Ritsu's character type, but then there was the kissing aspect. Thankfully, she knew that they couldn't force her to kiss anyone... right?

Mio and Ritsu settled down in their desks in philosophy class, but Mio took the same seat she had the day prior. Ritsu smiled at her as she sat down, and Mio shrugged as she began getting her stuff out, as if to say, "Ya I'm sitting next to you... what of it?"

Ritsu just smiled and got her materials out as well. Mio half expected to see a pillow, but Ritsu either hadn't thought of it, or hadn't gathered the tenacity to bring one with her to her classes just yet. Mio guessed the former.

"Are you nervous?" Ritsu asked casually, looking at the board and writing the outline of the notes down on a scrap of paper, just so she could look like she had something written down. Mio had to think about the question after it was asked... but eventually she came up with a decent guess as to what Ritsu was referring to.

She took a deep breath and looked at Ritsu, looking a little bit troubled. "You... you don't actually think they would cast me as Romeo or Juliet... right?" She said, looking more than just a little bit troubled by the concept.

Ritsu looked at her, into her eyes, and frankly stated, "Probably Juliet." Mio deflated, turning her head towards her desk and looking about as defeated as possible. Ritsu made a guess, she assumed that since Mio was obviously one of the most feminine girls she had ever met, there was a pretty strong chance of her getting the role. Despite the coincidence in the spelling and pronunciation of "Romio" and "Mio". But, her guess was a good as any. "Are you nervous?"

Mio looked at Ritsu and half-shrugged. "I just don't understand why they would plague me with stuff like that... You know I hate being the center of attention."

"Well maybe if you weren't so damn cute all the time, they wouldn't want to see so much of you." Mio blushed and looked towards the front of the class almost immediately. Strike one. Ritsu shrugged. "This is your fault you know."

"I don't believe you." Mio mumbled, trying to preoccupy herself by writing down the notes while the teacher prepared to start the class. She was grateful when the almost palpably thick voice of their philosophy class rang through out the room. Ritsu quieted down almost immediately, resting her head against her desk and proceeding to fall asleep, while Mio took solace in the distraction the extremely dull teacher provided for them. Nothing important, as always, but enough talking for Ritsu to doze off and let Mio rest.

Mio had gotten pretty sick of blushing all the damn time, perhaps hanging around with Ritsu wasn't what it was worth. Ritsu almost constantly made the capillaries in her face flush with blood, almost to the point where Mio was going to ask the Biology teacher if blushing could be considered unhealthy for her if she did it too often. She certainly hoped not, because she had a pretty terrible habit of doing it nearly constantly whenever she spent time with Yui or Ritsu, mostly because Yui was just... well... very contact oriented.

Mio took notes on everything the teacher was saying, despite not understanding or even making an attempt to listen to him. Her subconscious simply took note of what he was saying, wrote it down on paper, and then disposed of whatever the boring old man had uttered.

Her conscious mind thought about other things, mostly on how she herself could work Ritsu into the opposite role she was playing. She decided that if they couldn't be together, than in just a few weeks when the play was scheduled, she could at least get a taste of what she was missing. Maybe she could even use it as a device to hook up with the mouth breathing drummer right next to her.

But, even she knew that when push came to shove, she didn't have the guts to manipulate the play so she and Ritsu could be together. She wouldn't have even known where to start with it. But hey, a girl can dream whenever she wants to right? And Mio was content on trying to even see where she would start out planning to get Ritsu into the main role, when she herself wouldn't even know which role she would be taking. Juliet... she wasn't sure. If most of her fan-base was homosexually oriented, which was a pretty safe assumption except for a few select cases; wouldn't they want her to appear more masculine?

It was all too darn confusing. Mio threw the plan out the window. Instead... she thought about what the end result of the plan would be. Kissing Ritsu. She closed her eyes, and visualized her best friend above her, dressed in masculine clothing, obviously playing the role of Romeo. Her eyes were barely open, and she saw Ritsu's face approaching hers.

That was as far as she got before she realized that the entire school would be watching this... seeing through her guise somehow, gawking at what she and Ritsu were about to do. Even in her fantasy, she couldn't go on with this. There were just too many imaginary people watching her, judging her... despite her wanting to visual Ritsu kissing her so badly. It just wouldn't happen; it felt like all eyes were on her. She opened her eyes, a heavy blush on her face and a bit of saliva on her lip from the false anticipation of what the kiss might look or feel like.

"Enjoying yourself?" Mio heard, causing her to jump slightly and look around. She noticed Ritsu looking up at her, her head still resting against her crossed arms on her desk.

"What?" Mio asked, a bit surprised by her best friend's sudden comment.

Ritsu smiled and lifted her head slightly to look at Mio sluggishly. "Was it a good day dream?" Little did Mio know, Ritsu had been watching her since just after she closed her eyes, and placed her hands in front of her mouth to concentrate. She knew what Mio looked like when she day dreamed, even though it was a rare sight to see to begin with.

Mio blushed and looked down at her desk, trying to find some comfort in the cheaply made "cut wood" design that was almost patented for school desks. She took a shallow breath, her blush still remaining on her face, bringing her back to the idea that it might be bad for her health to blush so often. She finally muttered one word, which caught Ritsu off guard a little bit. "Anti-climactic..."

"Well finish it up." Ritsu said calmly. "I'm sure you wanna know how it ends." Mio blushed and closed her eyes, trying her best to try and temporarily vanish from the world.

Ritsu watched Mio for only a few seconds longer, before tucking her head back into her arms and proceeding to fall asleep, with a Cheshire grin on her face invisible to everyone. She rested there, sleeping with a smug grin on her face, until the class ended. Thankfully, the bell was loud enough to wake Ritsu from her slumber, and get her stuff packed up. Mio, despite having been embarrassed yet again by her best friend, waited for her.

She probably wouldn't have if she knew what was coming. Ritsu caught up with her, and the two proceeded to walk down the hall way with each other. Ritsu then proceeded to go ahead and push just a little harder. "So... who would you want to have the other leading roll?"

Mio stopped in her tracks, her eyes fading in and out of focus for a second. Ritsu kept walking, thinking the question was more casual than it was for poor Mio, who couldn't even walk forward. Ritsu even took a few steps past where Mio had stopped, before realizing that she was walking alone.

She looked back, at Mio who was standing, staring straight forward, seemingly stuck in time. She walked back to her, a bit quicker out of concern, putting her hands on Mio's shoulder. "Are you ok?" She asked a bit urgently, shaking Mio's body back and forth slightly, trying to see if she could get a response from her best friend.

Mio gulped and looked at her. "I'm fine." She said, snapping out of it, tilting her head up proudly and walking forward.

But Ritsu wanted an answer. "So...? Who would it be?"

Mio just swallowed hard, before looking directly at her Ritsu, a faded blush on her cheeks and her gray eyes slightly clouded over with a thin layer of uncertain, mounting tears. "I don't wanna talk about it." She said firmly, before forking off and going to her next class all by her self, leaving Ritsu with that image burned into her eyes. Ritsu was happy with the answer. She just loved getting that girl flustered.

Mio walked quickly, not wanting for the question to be pressed, even though Ritsu had no intent of doing so. She wanted to say it, she wanted to say it so badly it almost hurt her not to... but she couldn't bring herself to admit it. She swallowed hard, preparing for her own second hour class. She sat in her desk and got out her materials, before Ritsu's question came back to haunt her.

It echoed in her mind, there was no way that she could get away from it... Not without an answer any ways. She took a deep breath to clear her conscience... before she calmly spoke to the nearly empty room. "You."

And there it was... strike three. Too bad Ritsu hadn't been there to here it... but Mio seriously debated sending it via text message. It still hurt, and even though the question had been answered... no one had been there to hear it, or even understand what she meant. It still hurt knowing that Ritsu didn't know... despite Mio wanting to tell her so badly, and not having the courage available to her to do it.

She took a few deep breaths to calm her shaking hands and wiped away a tear from her eye. There was no way she could go on like this... she needed some way to tell Ritsu. She needed to gain and gather the courage to do so.

She just... she needed some kind of catalyst. She couldn't be brave on her own, she always relied on her friends to help her out with that, and she didn't want to ask more from Tsumugi than she already had. That would be selfish. No... She needed a kind of inspiration, something to break the ice. And it would come quicker than she could have ever expected.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Managed to sneak in a reference to the school play in this chapter. I feel obligated to remind you (and myself), this does all take place about a week or two before the whole summer festival, some time after summer break but before Mio busted out her lyrics. The timeline of the series is a bit strange at times, so I'm working with what room they gave me.

Don't you love Ritsu being a badger? Ohh, and if you can't think of Mio blushing... go find a picture of it somewhere. There's a reason Ritsu likes to make it happen.

I really enjoyed writing this one, the count down is beginning!

If you get a chance, feel free to leave a review! I really love knowing what you are thinking, especially now that I'm so deep into this "Novel-esque" fan fiction.

Thanks for reading, more next week!


	18. Chapter 18

Surprisingly enough for Azusa, she wasn't pounced on the moment she walked in the door to get into literature class with Yui. Instead, Yui was sitting at her desk, patiently copying down the agenda for the day, offering Azusa a small wave to greet her, before turning back to the board. Azusa was confused to say the very least.

But, what she couldn't' see was Yui practically exploding inside out of excitement to run over and tackle Azusa to the ground, before giving her the kiss of her life time. But, Yui had deducted from the little time to think she had in home room that Azusa wasn't quite ready for that degree of affection... at least not yet. She was wrong, but Azusa was thankful for whatever misunderstanding had occurred at the time as she took her seat.

The one reason she loved the second hour teacher was because not only was she a bit out of her mind, but she also had no seating chart. In fact, the only seating chart she had was that at the beginning of the year, you couldn't sit next to the same person you had sat next to the day before. Azusa hated that, because third years that she wasn't directly associated with tended to be a bit scary to her. And who could blame her, they were considered an entirely different caste in many cases, outside of clubs anyways.

So, using her cat like stealth, Azusa walked across the room and blatantly sat in the desk right next to Yui. She smiled at Yui, who smiled back warmly, and began getting her stuff out. Azusa however, felt the semi-expected feeling of Yui losing the control she had over her excitement and tackled her into a hug.

"Azu-nyan..." Yui cooed, predictably, but to Azusa it felt nice all the same. "I'm sorry about earlier..."

Azusa cocked her head and turned towards Yui, a dazed and confused expression visible on her face. "You're sorry?" She said, obviously caught off guard by Yui's sudden apology. Yui looked up into her copper eyes with her soulful brown ones, giving her the most innocent look ever. Azusa, for seemingly no reason, felt guiltier than she had ever before in her life. "You don't have to be sorry Yui-senpai! It's ok!"

"Are you sure?" Yui asked, still holding Azusa's gaze full force, her puppy dog eyes staring the poor, shocked Kouhai down.

"Of course!" Azusa replied immediately, almost drastic in her apology. Sure about what... she didn't know for sure. She might as well find out, to at least clear her conscience so she wouldn't feel terrible all hour, wracked with confusion and guilt at not knowing what Yui had done to make her feel so bad. "But... what are you apologizing for?"

Yui shrugged and broke free of the hug. "I don't know... I just thought that since you left so quickly earlier, you were mad at me about something." The auburn haired girl said with a worried expression still donned on her face.

Azusa thought about that comment for a second, before reaching up and pinching the bridge of her nose, taking a deep breath. "Yui-senpai... I wasn't mad. I had to get to class. I don't have Sawako-sensei as a teacher; my home room teacher actually takes roll on time." She said, rolling her eyes. Yui's expression turned from worry, to confused relief. Azusa could live with that. "I wasn't mad at you at all. It was just that I was in a hurry, and I didn't want to be rude."

Yui thought about it for a second, before nodding. "Ohh... ok then Azu-nyan!" She said, before reaching back over, and leaning in for a kiss. "Make-up kiss!"

Azusa leaned away from the kiss, pushing Yui's head back, trying to keep attention in the class as far away from them as possible. "There's no making up to be done Yui-senpai! We didn't even have a fight!"

Yui relaxed a bit, pulling away from her attempt at kissing Azusa, her lips forming into a pout. She turned to face the front of the class, her pout fading as she began working on the writing assignment their teacher had given them to work on. Azusa worked on it as well, it was their daily writing warm-up, and they had to be done with it before they could talk for a bit. And Azusa actually did have something to talk about, so she did her best to rush through it as quickly as she possibly could.

Yui... well, it wasn't hard for Azusa to divert her attention from her work to the conversation. Yui had gotten enough random dribble drabble down on paper to count, so the two could begin their conversation. Azusa began it with a whisper, leaning in to Yui and motioning for the older girl to bring her head down. "I have a question Senpai..." Azusa whispered simply.

"What's that Azu-nyan?" Yui asked, a bit too loud, only to be shushed by Azusa. "Sorry..." Yui replied in whisper, leaning in close so she could hear the atramentous haired girl speak.

"Well... I don't really know how to ask but... Yui-senpai, are we... together?" Azusa whispered, having some difficulty trying to phrase it eloquently and not go over board.

"Yes, we're together in Literature class." Yui said... even though she understood the question entirely, it was cute watching Azusa squirm. Air-headed or not, she still knew what she liked to see, and Azusa blushing was one of the few things she considered a finer pleasure in the world.

Azusa shook her head, exhaling before taking another deep breath, a clear blush on her face. Yui smiled innocently, a grin she had mastered over numerous years of having it at her disposal. "No... I mean like... are we... an 'item'?" Azusa knew it was an older expression, but it was straighter forward.

Yui knew exactly what Azusa meant, but this show was just getting good! She looked at Azusa's pinked skin, and into her terra-cotta eyes. "No Azu-nyan, we're people!" Azusa hung her head almost instantly, whimpering slightly at how difficult Yui was making this for her. She tried again.

It continued for several minutes. "Yui, are we a couple?"

"A couple of people? Yes!"

"No, like mommies and daddies are couples."

"Ohh... but we're both girls. Whose gonna be the daddy?"

Azusa was close to just giving it up... there was no way that she could ask a question without Yui being able to immediately come up with some witty response to it. She knew if she asked, she would get a flip-flop of her questions. If she asked if Yui was her girlfriend, Yui would note that they were both girls, and were friends. Azusa looked down and whimpered slightly, tears actually beginning to fall down her cheeks. She put her hands against her face, she hated feeling this helpless. This was hard enough, just asking these question, but having to think about the right question to ask? Too much!

Yui, as much as it killed her, decided that enough was enough and decided to spare Azusa any more torture, despite how adorable her reactions were. She quickly helped Azusa into her arms, hugging her close, letting Azusa calm down for a second. She calmly petted the girl's hair and made a soothing "sh" sound. "Don't worry Azu-nyan." Yui whispered as quietly as she could. "We're all of those things. I love my Azu-nyan."

Azusa got a couple of deep breaths, and brushed away the few tears she had shed. She looked around at the rest of the room, which had exploded into chatter, and no one was even paying attention her and Yui. But then again, most of them were probably used to stuff like this from Yui.

Azusa nodded, looking in Yui's beige eyes, smiling a little. Finally, even though it took a little more effort and stress than she had expected, she had gotten the answer she wanted out of Yui. "I don't want anyone knowing until we tell everyone in the club." She said sternly, keeping eye contact. "That means no kisses until after lunch... ok?"

Yui nodded in understand, hugging Azusa's head into her shoulder. "Of course." She said plainly. Azusa smiled in recognition for what Yui had said and pulled away from Yui's warm embrace as she noticed the teacher making her way around the class to check the work the students had taken down.

Azusa took her seat with a smile, wiping a way the last sign of tears on her face. Truly, she hadn't been sad enough to cry, but she knew that if she could, Yui might take her a bit more seriously... and it had worked well enough to get her Senpai's attention... well... not exactly just her senpai any more. Her girlfriend's attention. They let it be from there, and simply did their work from there on out through the period. The teacher gave them silent busy work, which Azusa was grateful for in a way. It gave her some time to think about how to break it to everyone that she and Yui were... "Good friends."

Her mind wracked itself as she ran all the possibilities for what she could do through her mind. Maybe just come straight out with it. Maybe send a text message to everyone. Something easy, that wouldn't make them fall asleep listening to Azusa explaining when where and why. There would be time for that later.

Azusa thought as she worked, and continued to think even as class dismissed.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Tsumugi was a bit surprised when Ritsu took her seat next to her, but didn't mention anything that had gone on with Mio. She didn't really know how to go about introducing the topic, even though she desperately wanted to know how their first hour together had gone together. But, Ritsu didn't mention it. She faced towards the front of the class, copied down the problems and took out her book to get started on them. Tsumugi was a bit confused, she thought she might get a status report, but Ritsu just began working.

Now, Ritsu wasn't ignoring Mugi by any means. When the teacher told them to simply do the review chapter, she turned to Mugi to see if the cerulean eyed girl wanted to work on their work together. But, Ritsu had a plan formed out in her mind for what to do with Mio, and even though it was very loosely formed and depended heavily on the other girl, she knew exactly what she had to do.

She was done thinking. She had the advice she needed from Mugi, and although it was loose advice on what to mention in conversation, now she had all the opportunity she needed to make way. If Mugi gave any more advice, Ritsu would have to revise her entire idea, which is something she didn't want to do.

No, Ritsu was ready to relax and simply let matters fall into her own hands. She wanted to push Mio more and more, until Mio was ready to admit her love for her, even though she had no guarantee that she would. Maybe it was optimism, or for the desire to be independent, but she was ready to spread her wings and take matters into her own hands.

Tsumugi was ready to relinquish her power, though she wasn't entirely certain if she had yet. Ritsu calmly joked around with her, but Mio didn't come up once the entire length of the hour. Ritsu did manage to fit a "Thank you" into their conversation, which Tsumugi accepted with a smile and the appropriate reply. "You're very welcome."

The two parted, with Ritsu feeling almost normal despite all the change that was in motion, and all the recent drama that had been going on. Despite the fact that she was pushing to finalize her crush on Mio, which had lasted for well over three months by this point, she was calm. Perhaps she was happy, and relieved that once again, she knew exactly what to do. Even two days ago, she was still iffy in many areas, trying to treat developing their relationship like the fragile flower it was. But now, Ritsu knew that she had a lot more room than she had not even that long ago.

What actually ended up throwing her off guard was how strangely Azusa acted upon entering their third hour together. She purposefully separated herself from Ritsu, offering only a small wave and a hurried "Hello" before she made a b line straight for her seat. To the small girl, she didn't want to accidentally give any inclination as to what was coming at lunch time.

She knew that Ritsu was bright enough to notice that something had been changing between Yui and her, but she was confident that Ritsu wouldn't be able to make any huge assumptions without having been at their sectional the night before. No, as far as Azusa was concerned, Ritsu was about as ignorant as to what was going on between her and Yui as she could be. And that she was thankful for.

Ritsu didn't sleep, she had gotten all of that out of her system in first hour, with only a brief reprieve from her nap to give Mio some worry. She just stared straight forward, with nothing much to think about other than what was going on in class, and what she had brought with her to lunch they day. She thought about what Tsumugi might bring to lunch that day, she could really go for some chocolate.

She smiled slightly as she remembered that chocolate was supposed to be a sort of aphrodisiac. Now she hoped that Mugi brought chocolate, maybe it would give Mio the courage to admit her love simply because of her increased desire for romance. She smirked slightly at the thought of Mio trying to make sense of the exponentially greater emotions than Ritsu had ever experienced.

Class didn't pass quickly, Ritsu forgot how long class was when you weren't sleeping or executing some sort of plan to make your best friend fall in love with you. She remembered why she had always hated school so much... this crap was not only boring, but also useless to what she wanted to be when she grew up. A rock musician. The only thing that taught her anything about that was home economics, teaching her how to balance the massive numbers her checking account would have some day.

She loved her senseless optimism sometimes. Even when she knew how generous she was being, and how likely it was that she wouldn't actually accomplish it. But hey, she rarely got depressed or worked up about stupid crap like tests or grades, or even relationships and the amount of money in her savings account.

It was near the end of class when she got a text message, from Azusa. She looked across the room at the girl on the other side of the room, who looked a little jitterier than she usually did. She flipped open her phone. "_Plz come to the club room at lunch ASAP._" Ritsu shrugged and nodded, putting her phone back in her pocket.

She thought it was a bit strange for Azusa to text her that, since they were an ear shot's apart... but she didn't realize that everyone in the club had gotten the text message. Even Yui. Azusa finally had her road map, once everyone was calmed down, she would calmly pull Yui to the front and she would explain in short the events of the last few days to the entire group. Then she would explain that they had entered a relationship, and open the room up to any questions.

That was the road map and she was sticking to it. It was formal; she could get everyone's attention and treat it like a dinner announcement. It seemed to work for her. But... that didn't mean she wasn't nervous as heck about it. She was jumping constantly, bouncing her feet and her toes, just waiting for the bell to ring.

She both wanted it to, and didn't want it to... but time didn't stop. Her anxiety mounted upon itself as the bell rang, causing her heart to beat faster. She noticed Ritsu leave, grateful she followed the instruction to go to the club room and didn't wait behind for her. She took a few deep breaths, and got to her feet as well, trying not to stagger as she walked to the hall way to head up to the club room.

It took her a while, especially on the stairs, to make it up to the club room. She could barely move forward at first, but once she barred the idea of what she was about to do from her mind, it became a lot easier for her to make her way up. She felt weak, making the stairs far more difficult than any day prior... but she made it up them.

"Good afternoon Azusa-chan!" Mugi said as the girl slid open the doors to the club room. "I made tea if you would like some!"

Azusa nodded and went to take her usual spot at the table, trying to compose herself so she wouldn't tremble the entire time she was trying to drink. She had her plan, now she just needed the nerves to go through with it, which was going to be more difficult for her than she could have ever imagined.

However, she was too busy trying to take deep breaths to notice Yui pull her into a hug, and was too shocked to prevent Yui from kissing her. Right on the mouth. Right in front of everyone.

In retrospect, she should have let Yui know what she had in mind. But... she hadn't... an oversight to the highest degree. She had expected Yui to do exactly as she expected, and treat this situation with as much volatility as needed. But... that wasn't going to happen. Everyone saw the kiss, and Azusa was too dumbfounded at her cleverly developed plan shattering to pieces in the blink of an eye.

Yui held the kiss, taking advantage of Azusa's shock to keep their lips planted together for a good four or five seconds, closing her eyes and holding Azusa as close to her as possible. One hand on her upper back and one hand on her neck... Yui had her. Azusa wasn't expecting it, there was no way she could have been. She was too wrapped up trying to finalize her own plan.

Yui released the kiss, and smiled at the rest of the club, who were looking with a mixture of shock, daze, and embarrassment. Yui put her arm around Azusa's shoulders, and hugged her close. "Ohh..." Ritsu said, finally, the only sound she able to say in her moment of confusion... still trying to figure out if that had actually just happened.

Mio sat silent, a blush smeared messily over her visage, looking down slightly. She didn't even know what to say, much less voice her confusion in any way. Her words seemed to be caught in her throat, as she looked down to the floor. She knew what the assumption she was making was, but she didn't want to jump the gun and say it. She just sat there, waiting for something new to happen.

Mugi on the other hand, she had a small blush, but looked more like a girl who had just had every one of her dreams come true that very instant. She had her hands cupped over her nose and mouth, though one could easily tell that her mouth was agape with surprise and of course, happiness. She had suspecting that something was up between the two of them based on their semi-awkward interactions on Friday, but she had no idea on the back story of things. Even yesterday, nothing really seemed out of the ordinary to her. And this was the kind of stuff she paid attention to most!

Azusa took a while to wear off from the daze and confusion, still reeling from her light-headedness while trying to figure out someway to come out with it. She took her time catching her breath and gathering what little of her plan she could manage. She looked across the room to the members of the light music club, sitting in either shock and confusion or glee and confusion. She cleared her throat, looking up to Yui who seemed about as proud as she possibly could have been, her arm still wrapped around Azusa's shoulders like a security blanket.

Without warning, Azusa felt herself start to giggle. She didn't know why, it came out of no where, but it came on strong enough for her not to being to stop it from becoming audible. The others just looked on in more confusion... thinking it might have been some sort of practical joke on them, but still not saying anything. Azusa giggled for about a minute, confusing even Yui, before composing herself, wiping her eye away. "So..." She said, chuckling a bit, "I'm sure you can guess... why I... called you here..."

Yui looked up, her confidence and pride returning. The others simply waited, as confused as always. "It's kinda funny..." Azusa said, "I had this whole plan worked out that would take most of lunch... and Yui-senpai basically just wrapped it up in about ten seconds."

Azusa took a deep breath, waiting to see if they had anything to say. Ritsu was the first to get the ability to talk back. "So... you're... together and stuff?" She said, trying to gather if that was the correct time to ask the question. Azusa smiled, and Ritsu took that as a sign to lighten her demeanor as well.

"Yes Ritsu-senpai." Azusa said firmly, looking at Yui and smiling a bit. Ritsu smiled at the two of them, before shrugging and nodding. Mugi did the same, clapping her hands together.

"You two are so perfect together!" The sapphire eyed girl blurted out, a wide grin on her face as well as a look of lingering hope. Mio stayed quiet, unsure of what to add still. Ritsu noticed Mio's lingering awkwardness... but she knew that Mio wasn't homophobic. No, this made her uncomfortable for another reason... but what could it be? That question, in Ritsu's mind, was almost TOO sarcastic. And question that didn't even need asking. Little did Azusa and Yui know, but not only had they benefited Mugi by giving her a show, as well as them selves for hooking up with each other... they had benefited Ritsu and Mio.

Mio just smiled a little when Azusa turned to her for confirmation that she was ok with it, before smiling and returning to her seat with Yui still attached. The rest of lunch was spent with Mugi pounding Azusa and Yui with questions. "When did you hook up?", "Why didn't you tell anyone!", "Where were you? Was it romantic?" and all sorts of others, which ate away at the lunch period. Ritsu occasionally smiled at the two of them from her seat, chided them for something or other, before returning to quietly sipping at her tea.

Mio stayed quiet the entire time. Mugi seemed to be asking every question Mio could think of, and then some. But that wasn't the true root of Mio acting so strangely, and it didn't take a genius or extremely perceptive person to see that.

Ritsu saw it as plainly as it could be. Mugi would have, and did take note of it, but she was far too busy wrapping her mind around the fact that Yui and Azusa were a couple. Mio was still trying to come to terms with that fact as well. For some reason, just seeing Azusa and Yui attached happily, hands held as they ate their lunches and drank the tea Tsumugi poured... it made her feel strange. It made her timid, simply because she didn't want to ruin the moment between the two of them.

But it also made her brave, especially to see how well Ritsu handled it. Ritsu seemed happy for them, which made Mio think that maybe she wouldn't ruin her friendship with the girl. Even if Ritsu didn't return her feelings.

Ritsu felt bad as they parted, Yui looking extremely saddened by Azusa leaving, but certainly not without a good-bye kiss. Azusa played the tough part, but she wasn't thrilled about it by any means. Lunch passed too quickly. Heck, even Mugi looked disappointed at them leaving, and comforted Yui by rubbing the down trodden girl's back. But, Ritsu also felt extremely relieved. She looked at Mio, who looked at her after a few seconds, staring back into her eyes.

Fate, or Tsumugi, hadn't failed Ritsu. "You want some more chocolate cake?" She asked, pushing a full dish of the desert towards Mio. Mio nodded and pulled it in, before starting to eat it. Ritsu smiled as she watched her take a bite. Azusa and Yui had certainly saved her a lot of foot work. Tsumugi and Yui looked towards the two of them, Mugi pointing to the clock. "We have to get to class you guys!"

Mio nodded and pushed the rest of the cake to the center of the table. Ritsu stood up casually and stretched, before walking towards them. Mio followed in suit, still looking a bit out of it. The poor girl wasn't sure what to think any more, she may have had a bit more confidence, but she didn't know what to make of what had happened. She was thrilled for Azusa and Yui, they fit together like puzzle pieces, but she was also terrified.

But why... why was she so afraid. It took a while to come up with it, but based on how positive Ritsu's reaction was to it... she knew why it was so scary. Ritsu had reacted too positively, and now, Mio's crush was edging away at her. If Ritsu had been upset or freaked out by it, Mio would have known what her confession would bring, awkward tension. But no, Ritsu just HAD to be positive about it.

Mio knew what was eating at her. She knew why she was so shaken. The simple and plain fact... now she would have to tell Ritsu. She had to know what Ritsu might think of her affection. She had to know what could become of it... or she could never forgive herself.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Now Mio has to confess! Azusa and Yui opened the door for her, by confessing in a not only adorable, but completely unorthodox fashion!

Now that hey are out in the open and the reaction is all positive... Mio is going to have to go for it. Plus, it was kind of cute the way Yui decided she and Azusa should confess to the group.

I hope you're still enjoying it. 18 chapters in and if you are still reading, I commend you for sticking with me the whole time.

Reviews are more than welcome as always, I really wanna know what you are thinking, especially now in the heat of the action!

Thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

Mio went to work on figuring out what she could do in order to confess to Ritsu without making it seem either totally cheesy or completely placid. Thankfully, they weren't doing frogs in Biology that day. Their teacher had decided to simply leave them with an assignment, check on how Tsumugi's hand was doing, before leaving the classroom to help substitute another class that was currently short a teacher. Mio had time to think, as Ritsu decided that she was tired again and wanted to get some rest.

Mio wasn't great at flirting, that kind of stuff wasn't her strong point. Maybe she was too mature for it, maybe it just wasn't in her skill set, but she didn't know how to flirt. That wasn't a feasible option for her, no matter how much she wanted. She looked down at an unconscious Ritsu smiling a little bit on the inside at seeing how peaceful she was when she slept. Mio took a shaky breath and looked forward.

She wasn't sure how this had happened, but it had. She wished it hadn't, but wishes rarely granted themselves. No, Mio was stuck. She had fallen for her best friend, and she lacked the ability to confess that. Hell, even a week ago she would have laughed if someone told her she was actually a lesbian, and not just a late bloomer.

Her lack of affection for boys had been explained. She wasn't a really late bloomer, no, she was a lesbian. Her lack of affection for girls up to that point was focused solely on the fact that her brain was in utter denial that she, Mio Akiyama, could ever even be considered as one. She didn't fit the stereotypes!

But now that Mio had gotten past that, she had her biggest obstacle yet. It would pass quicker than any of the others she had been through thus far, but it was far more taxing on her. It almost brought her to tears every time she tried to think about how Ritsu might react, how she might have to phrase it. Think of how she would even get the courage to do so.

She took a lot of deep breaths as she tried to think of some sort of a plan, amazed at how much difficulty the simple task was presenting her. It was just three words right? "I like you." Ritsu should know what that meant, she wasn't like Azusa, and she knew the simple slang far what you told to someone you have a crush on. Maybe Mio would even play it safe and say, "I have a crush on you." It was more words, twice as many even, but it would take a second to say. A single second that could change her life forever.

And that was what terrified Mio more than anything else in the world. Just because Ritsu had reacted positively to Yui and Azusa's graphically demonstrated confession of their love for one another, didn't mean that she would react the same way to Mio confessing. After all, if Azusa had confessed to Mio, she probably would have turned her down. Same with Yui, or Mugi. She had her heart set on Ritsu for the moment, the chestnut haired slacker of a drummer in the next seat over.

And that made everything a heck of a lot harder on her. Had she broken her friendship with Tsumugi, or Yui, or Azusa by confessing her love for them... well, at least she hadn't known them for the majority of her life time. She could live with out them, and although it would definitely make her saddened by losing them as friends, it wouldn't be like losing Ritsu. Ritsu was practically a sister to her.

Mio was glad she wasn't, other wise this would have been far more confusing to her than it already was. But still, it wasn't an easy thing trying to tell your best friend in the entire world that suddenly you wanted more than they were already giving you. Mio whimpered and sniffled as she once again realized what she had to put on the line.

She wished, for about the hundredth time, that Ritsu had reacted negatively to Yui and Azusa becoming an item. As selfish as it was, Mio knew that it would have made her life a heck of a lot easier. Then she wouldn't have had to tell Ritsu that her affections ran deeper than either of them could have thought only a few weeks ago.

She cursed herself for not falling for someone she didn't know. One of the student council members, or a graduate from previous years... anyone! Then she could have stifled her foolish hormones and gotten on with her life, because she wouldn't see that other girl every day. But no, Mio saw Ritsu nearly every single day of her life, and she knew that without a confession, she would break like a twig. No, this confession had to happen. She wasn't nearly as emotionally stoic as Ritsu was, and there was no way she was going to be able to last.

Mio decided that it was one of those situations where "the sooner the better" applied. It killed her, but she knew that she would have to just bite the bullet and get it over with before she lost her mind, and her chance.

But the problem was... when and how could she do that. She wanted it to be romantic, but not too romantic in case Ritsu decided to hate her. She didn't want the atmosphere to be a dead give away for what she was about to do or say. She wanted it to be casual enough to where she and Ritsu could be comfortable, but not completely casual where Mio telling Ritsu she liked her would come like a bolt out of the blue. She needed some sort of ploy, something she could exploit.

But thinking about it provided too much of a challenge on it's own, since she was trying not to think about how much work she had to do before she and Ritsu could finally be with one another. Crying in class wasn't a good thing to do, especially not with the whole reason for your sorrow and helplessness sleeping right next to you. Besides, she didn't want to make more excitement for the two girls sitting just behind her; that would have been selfish. No, she wanted to keep this as low key as possible.

And that was a generous thing for Tsumugi to do. Yui couldn't have taken any more excitement, she was already far too deflated from not getting to see Azusa in not one, but two more periods. She kept her head on her desk, much like Ritsu, but instead of sleeping she let apathy take over. She sat dormant the whole time, like a rock, trying to force time to move quicker.

Mugi sat, trying to work, but right now... it didn't seem like anyone could get something as trivial as biology done. She was amazed that seemingly under her nose, Azusa and Yui had snuck right into each others arms and fallen for each other, without any one letting the sallow haired girl know that they had hooked with together. She wasn't extremely offended by any means, but she was a bit disappointed to not have caught it a little sooner.

The only real indication was Yui's strange comment earlier that day. It sounded all too familiar. But, Azusa and Yui had agreed that it had been the night before that they officially hooked up. Mugi actually felt kind of bad that she hadn't gotten the chance to help them out with their problems. But then again, she was unaware that Ui had been slightly involved. But, they didn't seem to mind one bit that Mugi hadn't interjected or gotten involved, and they seemed happy enough to be together.

Mugi only gained comfort in knowing the difference in the relationships between Azusa and Yui, and Mio and Ritsu. She had to stop herself from thinking poorly of herself helping Ritsu out, because of the fact that Azusa and Yui had already hooked up together. They had been so much quicker about it... for a few minutes Mugi felt like a bit of an inhibitor. Thankfully, the feeling wore off quickly as soon as she realized that unlike Azusa and Yui, Mio and Ritsu rarely hugged or held hands.

The brutal truth was, Mugi had several accounts of Yui "flirting" with Azusa over the past year and couple months they had known. Countless hugs that few others received, at least in such quantity, clinginess... and even more recently, the kissing offers. No, Mugi realized that she hadn't been an inhibitor for Mio and Ritsu, because even though Yui and Azusa had hooked up under the guise of rehearsal... Yui had been working on it for months.

Ritsu had been working on really pushing all of Mio's buttons for the past few days. And, based on how Mio looked right now, occasionally staring at her book, occasionally swallowing tears, and occasionally looking down at the sleeping Ritsu... she had pressed all of the right buttons.

So, with nothing left to do, she prepared ideas for what she could do to help push more of Mio's buttons... but she was having more trouble than ever finding buttons to press. She could see the shift in behavior from before lunch to after it. She knew that Azusa and Yui had pressed a button. She knew what Mio was thinking about even though she couldn't hear it right from the girl's mind. Mio had told her she liked Ritsu, and now, she couldn't get her mind off of that.

Mugi just went back to pretending to read. No use in working every possible angle to try and get Mio in with Ritsu when she didn't even have a clear indication of Mio's true emotions. She assumed that Ritsu had done well in mentioning romance, or complimenting Mio... even if Ritsu didn't directly tell her that she had. Mugi kept on thinking of what to do next. Maybe another date. Maybe Ritsu should hint a little stronger from there forth... Mugi spent every brain cell she had to try and think of what to do next.

And Mio spent every brain cell she had to try and think of what to do so she could both boost her own confidence to tell Ritsu, and make sure it wasn't awkward when push finally came to shove. She was still on base one. She knew what to do, and what she was trying to accomplish... but she still had no reasonable way of getting there that would be grandiose enough in her mind without being too grandiose.

The period ended, finally, leaving Mio and Mugi exhausted, while leaving Ritsu and Yui rested and ready to go for their next hour and the after school rehearsal. They had totally cleared their minds for the last hour, and were ready to confront whatever came their way with gusto.

Mugi and Mio packed up their stuff and left the room, both fairly spent mentally, but neither of them done thinking of what to do next. They envied Ritsu and Yui, who skipped off to their joint fifth hour to do nothing of importance, while they both knew that their fifth hours would hold nothing but more mental footwork for them. Mio took a deep breath and waved an exhausted "good-bye" to Mugi, who returned it.

Mugi knew Mio was stressed again, though Mio simply assumed that Mugi was tired because of how much energy she had used interrogating Azusa and Yui during lunch. But, Mugi knew that still had to be more planned for everything to go perfectly. If she could have only seen into Mio's mind... she could have saved herself the trouble.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Yui got a text message as she sat down in her fifth hour, one from Azusa, which she read with a bright smile on her face. It seemed like anything that came from Azusa would have been worthwhile at that point. Yui wanted to ditch her fifth hour just to be with her Azu-nyan, and not waste her time cramming her head with stupid history knowledge that she would most likely never use.

"_Would you mind if I told Ui?_" Yui read the text message, thinking about it for a second. She had to think back... trying to remember last night and recall if Ui already knew. Come to think of it, Yui had totally forgotten to tell her little sister that she was together with one of her best friends. She flushed with color at that realization, chuckling half-heartedly at her own carelessness and forgetfulness. She texted back almost immediately.

"_Please don't... she'll be mad at me for not telling her sooner!_" Yui knew she probably wouldn't, but she figured it would be more proper for her to tell Ui herself. After all, Yui had known Ui longer than any one else, and she was sure that that would make the news easier.

Azusa got the text, in her fifth hour, and nodded. She replied with a short handed, "K" before turning to Ui. She was also sure that Ui wouldn't be mad; she had never seen Ui mad one day in her life. She was pretty sure that that emotion was outside of what Ui could portray. But, Azusa would respect Yui's respect. After all, her parents had always told her that relationships were built on trust. And that was one piece of advice she could carry with her wherever she wanted to.

So she kept quiet and simply took notes, only having short conversations with Ui at the start of class. She had to bite her tongue not to say anything, but she would manage just fine and get through the period. It was easy enough doing so, the teacher kept a lecture going nearly the entire length of the class, which made it very easy to keep her attention at the head of the class.

Ui didn't even try to guess what was up with Yui and Azusa earlier that day. She assumed that something definitely had happened, there were just too many factors pointing in that direction. The fact that Yui had stayed out so late the day prior was one of Ui's main indicators. Also, the way Yui had acted when Azusa was trying to escape from her grip this morning was another indication.

Plus the fact that Yui was so excited to see Azusa, yet again, this morning. It wasn't normal for her to see Yui up before she herself had already had a chance to shower, make breakfast, and prepare herself for school. Thankfully, Yui hadn't been up as early as the day prior. She got up at the exact same time as Ui, which made showering a bit more difficult than it was since they both had to shower in the two showers in the house. Not a problem... unless the water heater could only handle one shower at a time.

The result was a lukewarm shower for both of them, which Yui seemed to forget in a little more than a few minutes, but it had really put a damper on Ui's day. It's hard to feel squeaky clean when you were trying to shower in tepid water. It just made her feel less clean than she usually did in the mornings and through the day. She was really looking forward to whatever was going on coming to its climax.

Little did she know, it already had reached, and was well past the climax. The only reason Yui was up so early this morning was because she was still reeling from entering a whole new chapter of her relationship with Azusa. It was a big deal for her, and one couldn't blame her for just being a little excited. Azusa just had a habit of sleeping in since she lived so close, and could get away with it without running late to her classes. But she even showed earlier than she usually did, just to see Yui, something that she usually didn't do.

Ui kept focused forward, as did Azusa, and before either of them knew it, the day had come to conclusion. But, things in the world of Yui's younger sister weren't quite normal either. She still felt obliged to herself to walk with Azusa up to the band room, just so she could hopefully get a look at Tsumugi's diamond azure eyes. Today, she had no trouble catching a glimpse of them, before walking out and leaving the Keion club to do its thing.

Today, Azusa, Mio, and Mugi were all pushing for rehearsal to start, and since Ritsu was pretty much ok with anything, they began to play songs within minutes after finishing their brief tea and cake break. That was pretty much customary for them by this point, mostly because Mugi had the ability and generosity to bring in several different flavors of cake and tea with her nearly every day. It seemed like every day, there was some new kind of delicacy. And that was one of many things she did for them that made them perpetually grateful.

Everything seemed normal, aside from Azusa and Yui standing a bit... well... a LOT closer to each other than they usually did. But, the other members of the band could understand it, and they themselves weren't exactly focused. It was one of their worse run-throughs of their charts, and not just because they hadn't rehearsed in over five days.

Azusa and Yui were clearly distracted, playing as close together as possible and enjoying each others company. They were still a little preoccupied with the fact that they were able to enjoy each other a little more than in days prior. It was kind of fun, being able to get a little closer than before, for longer periods of time. Azusa normally wouldn't have gone that far, she didn't like public displays of affection, but no one around seemed bothered them standing just a little closer together.

Mugi was the opposite of bothered. Her keyboard playing, for the first time in Keion history as far as anyone was concerned, was a bit off. Mugi, being the longest playing and most well trained out of all of them in the musical arts, and had a way of zoning out while playing... but that ability could only serve her so well when presented with Azusa and Yui practically rubbing against each other during the course of their song. She had finally met her match.

Mio had no trouble breaking her focus on Yui and Azusa, but another thing kept her mind preoccupied. Earlier, even though it had been a bit alien... Ritsu had complimented her song writing. And with what she had thought of all of fourth and fifth hour, it was hard to sing straight and keep a steady rhythm with all of that in her head. For some reason, she felt Ritsu constantly judging her as she sang, and the more she thought about it... the harder she tried to play well. And the harder she tried to play well, the more she over thought it. It only created a downward spiral.

Ritsu was actually trying to keep the beat, but found it hard to find at times. She looked at Tsumugi, who had "that" expression on her face which told her exactly where she was coming from. Why Azusa and Yui weren't playing as well as usual was no secret, and Mio was standing far more statically than she usually did. Ritsu did her best to keep going, her energy levels as high as normal.

They sounded like they had their first year, if Azusa had been there with them during that year as well. Ritsu was rushed, Mio was distracted, Yui was out of time and her singing was out of key, and even Tsumugi was a tad lost in it all. Mio recognized it by trying to lock in to the beat behind her... and it gave her an idea. It brought on nostalgia, which made her think of exactly what she could do.

They finished the song, and all of them kind of looked at each other. Ritsu was the first one to say what they were all thinking. "That was bad. We need a break."

Azusa was the first to retaliate with a comment. "We haven't practiced since last Wednesday though! The festival is coming up!"

"Yes, but some how, I don't think this counts as practice." Ritsu said nonchalantly, setting her sticks down on the snare drum. "Why don't we pick this up again Thursday? That still leaves us what... a week before the school festival? We could even practice on Sunday or something, to make up for it."

They discussed on that for a little while, before they came to the conclusion that it would work just fine. They agreed that a little too much was going on for them to be able to practice effectively. It just wasn't going to happen with everything that had gone on that day. Mio just waited until the verdict was reached to end rehearsal a little early, and take a break for a couple days more. She felt nervous about missing rehearsal, especially since today hadn't really counted... but she was also a bit excited by the fact that the perfect idea had come to her.

They packed up, Mio still keeping as quiet as she could and getting Elizabeth comfy and cozy in her case. They all left and Mio decided to bite the bullet and swallow her nervousness. She prepared herself the entire time they had been packing up, since her idea had come to her, and she was ready for it. Sort of... her insides felt like they were sinking into themselves like water going down a drain. But, she kept telling herself in an effort to combat her inhibitions, "If not today... if not now... then when? When Mio? You've got tomorrow off from rehearsal, you'll be better off today than any other."

No matter what excuse her inhibitions tried to present to her, Mio just combated them with that, occasionally adding, "Procrastinating has never helped me before. I doubt it will help me here." She had to build up every bit of courage she had in her body to approach Ritsu, who was leaving with the rest of the group. "Ritsu..." She said quietly, tapping the coffee haired girl on the shoulder. It caught her attention, enough for her to look back to Mio, waiting.

"Can you come to my house?" Mio asked, with a sniffle and a couple of shallow breaths following. Ritsu looked a bit surprised, but she shrugged and nodded, giving a small smile. Even her heart began to beat a bit quicker... she hadn't been invited into Mio's house in she didn't know how long. A couple months at least.

They walked as a group for a short distance, Tsumugi disappearing shortly after they reached the bus stop. Azusa and Yui pulled each other into a hug, before they smooched and went their separate ways. Ritsu and Mio walked to the latter's house, and Ritsu felt oddly like she did Friday afternoon, with Mio slightly detached from the situation. At least this time, she had a realistic guess as to why.

She didn't disturb Mio this time as they walked, mostly because Mio matched Ritsu's pace flawlessly the whole time. She didn't fall behind, and even walked a little too fast and got ahead of Ritsu. She could tell that Mio wanted to get this over with, or at least get it started before something happened. "Mio." Ritsu said from behind, causing the leaden eyed girl to jump slightly, before turning around and looking backward timidly. "Relax. It's just me."

(*SCENE BREAK*)

They got to Mio's house a short while later. What Ritsu had said didn't really helped her calm down, it simply reminded her that she may be about to defile what she saw as the most perfect friendship she could have asked for. It was almost enough to set Mio back... but her inspiration returned with her quote. She reminded herself of what may come of this and that if she didn't get this over with, it may very well eat her alive.

But that started to sound like a better and better option as they made their way up towards Mio's room, with her heart feeling like it was literally going to break her ribs. Truth was, she had never been so terrified of something in her entire life... and yet here she was.

But, her plan was perfect as far as she saw, and even though her heart was beating too loudly for her to hear Ritsu clearly, she could tell that Ritsu wasn't the least bit worried.

At least, Ritsu didn't appear the least bit worried. Mio was shaking she turned the door to enter her room, and Ritsu could tell by the heaving breaths that Mio was taking that something was going to happen. And that alone was enough to cause her to worry slightly. As confident as she was, and as much as her optimism screamed at her that Mio was finally about to make all of her desires come to fruition... there was still worry and weakness in her mind.

Those two emotions always seemed way heavier when push came to shove, but as Ritsu watched Mio dig through her closet to find something, she realized something. If Mio could over come these emotions, then she herself would be more than ok. What she was most worried about was that she had got her hopes up for nothing.

Ritsu kept calm as she lay back on Mio's bed, the slate haired girl dug through her closet to try and find a small book she had. The plan she had in her mind was no where near completely perfect, and she was sure that Ritsu would still find something strange about it... but she was sure it was the only thing she could come up with. She had to do this on her own, she just had to make this work all on her own. She thought about asking Mugi to ask Ritsu for her... but that wouldn't have sufficed. No no, Mio was content on doing this all on her own.

She found it, and her plan became real for the first time. She closed her eyes and she found the dusty, crimson covered book. She hugged it close to her chest, and took a deep breath. Everything calmed. Her heart slowed and stopped beating through her chest. Her fingers and toes which had been tingling from near hyperventilation went back to normal, and her breathing calmed, giving her the opportunity to gather two or three full intakes of air.

She got to her feet, which were shaking even though time had seemingly slowed down for Mio to get to the side of her bed with Ritsu, and set down the book before looking towards her. It was like everything in slow motion. Mio wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. On one hand, she got a chance to think everything out slowly... on the other, this would last longer than she wanted it to. But she decided the former was far more important, and vital.

Ritsu sat up, looking at the small, dusty book Mio had placed on the bed, before kneeling down next to it, and looking at it. Mio looked almost out of it, focused solely on the book and nothing else. Ritsu decided she might as well ask. "What's this?"

Mio looked up at her, taking another deep breath, smiling a little bit. "You'll see." She said plainly, before she blew on the cover. Ritsu shrugged and nodded, looking towards it. Mio moved a shaky hand up, and opened up the front cover, almost forgetting her plan entirely, before it came back full force and gave her a head ache. She would truck through with it.

On the first page was a small color picture, it looked like crayon, but it looked a lot like Mio at the same time. It took her a while, but she remembered it. From third grade, when the teacher had asked the class to draw their best friends. Ritsu had drawn Mio.

Mio almost began to cry as she saw the picture, and turned over to the next page, seeing a picture, much more artistically drawn, with colored pencil rather than sloppy crayon. It looked like Ritsu, more at a fifth grade level of drawing than a third grade. Ritsu shook as she saw it... she remembered when she had saw that the first time, Mio got the biggest hug she had ever gotten from Ritsu.

Mio turned the page, and there was a picture of school children, standing in three rows, all dressed in miniature versions of uniforms. In the corner, it had "First year" scribbled in the corner. Ritsu looked over the photograph, and looked around for her and Mio. She found Mio first, and boy did the photograph bring back memories.

She was standing to Mio's right, and Mio was near the end of the row. Little Ritsu was winking, holding her right thumb out, and holding a bunch of Mio's hair in the other hand. Mio was standing, looking at Ritsu with an expression that said, "Please don't pull my hair!" and a blush on her face. Naturally, she hadn't ripped Mio's hair out. She hadn't even been pulling on it, just holding some of it in her hand and looking as proud as always.

Ritsu giggled slightly, and looked at Mio who was smiling at the picture, taking a few deep breaths, her eyes getting misty.

Mio wanted to keep the silence preserved, so she turned the page before Ritsu could ruin the perfect amount of tension in the room. Ritsu was too curious as to what might else have been in the book. The next page showed a picture of the fourth grade talent show. Ritsu remembered it... she had decided to do the talent show if it killed her. She didn't play drums at the time. Mio didn't play bass yet. They were just a couple of kids.

And Mio remembered that she had been forced to go on as well. They didn't demonstrate anything amazing Ritsu simply demonstrated that she could stand on her hands and walk around stage, while Mio was convinced to write left handed for the entire audience to watch her do so, while Ritsu walked circles around her, falling a few times. Ritsu giggled as she saw the straps on the skirt that the teachers had added last minute as they realized the problem with Ritsu's half of their act. The straps connected the skirt to her shoes, to prevent the obvious from happening.

The picture next to it in the book was of them, holding their second place trophy. Mio looked a bit surprised to have gotten any thing at all, and Ritsu looked about as happy as she possibly could be. There were only four contestants in the talent show. In the corner, obviously at a later time than when the picture had been taken, Mio had written, "Where we were..."

At this point, Mio felt the faint prickle of a tear on her cheek, perhaps she should have rehearsed this a bit first... But she forced herself through it, there weren't many pages in this book and they were about half way through. The next page was of their seventh grade year book. Ritsu could remember that because that was the year where she had decided to not wear her head band in pictures. It was one of those weird early teen things. Not to be questioned if you were looking for any reasonable response from her.

It was in the "best of" section of their year book, a page that Mio had removed from a spare that she found. Mio felt herself grinding her teeth, her breathing shaking, and tears beginning to form a little more quickly. She hadn't looked at this book in a while, and usually only put stuff in it she wanted to have in there. That year, it was the year that she and Ritsu had their picture featured in the "Best of Friends" section. Mio had a blush on her face, and was holding up a peace sign, while Ritsu had an arm wrapped around her shoulders. She was holding the peace sign up as well, and was winking at the camera.

Best of Friends was what their school had awarded them that year, and Mio had completely forgotten that was in there. She bit her tongue, almost enough to draw blood, as they looked on the picture. Even Ritsu got a little touched as she looked on at the picture, mostly brought back to that strange time in her life. She was grateful she grew out of the hair band thing... she looked dorky in that picture. But, then again, so did Mio.

Mio turned the page, and there was a picture that someone in the audience had taken of their concert, during their first year at Sakuragaoka Secondary School. Pre-exposure, Mio was NOT going to have the most shameful moment of her life in a memory book she had made for her and her best friend. It was just a picture, of them playing, Mio singing and Ritsu playing drums in the background. The maid outfits were... embarrassing. Had it not been for them, her dignity would be fine right now. But all the same, it was her first performance with Ritsu. In the corner, at the time she had put the picture in, she had scribbled, "How far we have come."

That was the last picture, but on the back of the inside of the book, Mio remembered writing a quote the year before the current one. She had heard it in a song on American radio, on the internet, and it was perfect for the end of the book. No matter how many pages were added to it, it would easily work to wrap it up.

Mio wiped her eyes away before reading it aloud. "The end is uncertain, and I've never been so afraid: but I don't need a telescope, to see that there's hope: and that makes me feel brave."

Ritsu looked down at Mio; she had never expected some class of emotional bombshell from the poor girl. She waited for some sort of response from Mio, who was wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Ritsu even dabbed her own eyes, having gotten a little foggy eyed from the display. As Mio closed the book, and put it aside, she took a deep breath, and looked up at Ritsu. She let the tension sit in the room for a while, before she finally got the courage, and the remembrance, to say what she had planned. "It's been a rough couple of days Ritsu..." She said, sniffling a little bit.

"I know what you mean." Ritsu said back, nodding a little bit, crossing her legs as she looked down at Mio, who was sitting on the floor. She wasn't sure what Mio was going to say next, so she waited for her.

"Ritsu..." Mio said, swallowing hard wiping her eyes and her cheeks off once again. "That book... and... and everything it stands for... is why these past few days have been so hard on me."

Ritsu nodded, "You're scared to be graduating? Leaving public schools?" She wanted to reduce the tension; tension wasn't something she handled well. Mio shook her head.

"No..." She said, taking a deep breath as she got closer and closer to the end of her plan. "The past... everything we have... all the memories... I don't wanna lose those. I don't wanna ruin a good thing... but I can't go on."

Ritsu's eyes went wide and she looked at Mio, instantly getting off the bed, and getting to her side. "What do you mean you can't go on?"

Mio looked at her dabbing her tears a bit, making Ritsu nervous. Could she have been mistaking depression as a sign of affection? As ridiculous as it was to her, the tension had gotten the better of Mio, but thankfully the obsidian haired girl remained calm, albeit tearful. "I mean... I can't go on without you knowing something." Mio said with a bit more struggle. "It's been eating me alive for the past week or so... you have to understand... I just can't just keep quiet about this. It's too hard."

Ritsu looked into her eyes, seeing the complete sincerity in them, and got her wits back to her. She exhaled, and nodded. "And what can't you keep quiet about?"

Mio looked into Ritsu's eyes, but felt a stab of pain in her stomach, her arch enemy inhibitions returning for one last final fling, trying to shatter the plan Mio had constructed. She clutched her stomach, and waited for the cramp to go away, shaking and sniffling. She pulled back, and went from kneeling to sitting. For comfort, she pulled her knees into her chest. Ritsu, being the best friend Mio could have asked for, waited.

Mio finally managed to get over the pain and look up towards Ritsu, still trembling as she looked into Ritsu's bronze eyes with her granite ones. "I... I like you..." She said, in nothing more than a whisper. She only held Ritsu's gaze a second longer before she tucked her head back between her knees, hugging them into her chest and backing herself to the wall.

Ritsu crawled over and sat down next to Mio, waiting for her to stop crying and trying her best to turn into a turtle. She sat and just looked around Mio's room, just waiting, not even really thinking about anything. She thought a little about their memory book. Thankfully, it looked a lot like a two ring binder in the middle, and she was confident that she and Mio would have quite a few more pictures to add. Maybe dances in college, parties they would go to... pictures of Mio in a beautiful dress. Maybe a picture of Mio in her wedding gown, on the beach at sunset, with Ritsu behind her in her tuxedo. She would make that sacrifice she decided, even though she hadn't even told Mio yet. There would be plenty more to add to that book.

Mio calmed a bit, but remained quiet, occasionally a twitch livening new waves of shivering in her arms and legs. It hadn't been even a minute since Mio had finally managed to confess, before Ritsu tapped her on the shoulder. The terrified teen looked up, meeting Ritsu's eyes with her own, which were exhausted, relieved, confused, and full of anticipation.

Ritsu smiled. "That's quite the coincidence..." she said plainly. "Because I like you to. In fact, I more than like you." Mio looked a bit, surprised, her breath catching in her throat, her chest, her lungs... pretty much anywhere it could get caught. "I'm going to assume that's what you mean as well, since you've never had trouble calling me your friend in the past. I think you more than like me as well."

Mio simply watched as Ritsu explained, nodding a little bit as Ritsu bluntly explained the situation. "I would say that Azusa and Yui more than like each other as well... wouldn't you Akiyama-san?" Now Mio could tell that Ritsu was teasing, but honestly, everything below her waist was numb with an emotional cocktail. She nodded, her mouth slightly open, as if she had something to see.

Ritsu smiled at Mio, and got to the front side of her, sitting down on her calves and looking at the slightly calmer girl. "I would say that Azusa and Yui are a little more than friends... something different than best friends, but not entirely. Even if you more than like someone, you still have to normal like them. Otherwise, they are no fun to hang around with." Ritsu explained calmly, looking at Mio. "You wouldn't have ruined anything... because even if I didn't more than like you, I still would have liked you. Are you taking notes Akiyama-kun? This is going to be on the test."

Mio looked at her, a small smile forming on her face, along with a couple of little, half hearted giggles. "Shut up..." She said, looking at Ritsu with a smile on her face. She looked at Ritsu, uncertain of what to do next, when Ritsu smiled an impish grin and leaned forward. Mio saw Ritsu's face approach hers and her pulse rose substantially, her heart once again racing. She began to shake in panic slightly, backed into a corner... one that she had been working on getting herself into for what felt like ages.

Ritsu got closer and closer, before stopping where Ritsu could watch her lips move. "Mio, relax. It's just me."

Mio felt Ritsu's lips touch against the tip of her nose, causing her to blush, a warm feeling spreading across the length of her body, as if she just took a steam bath. Ritsu pulled away and smiled. She sat back and watched Mio, who watched her right back. Mio smiled back after a few minutes of giving her best friend a vacant expression. She sighed a sigh of the purest and most refined relief that she had ever felt, making her numb legs wake up from their slumber.

She got to her knees and crawled the short distance to Ritsu, before reaching her hands out and pulling Ritsu into the tightest hug she had ever given to anyone. Had Ritsu not hugged back, she knew that she would have had the wind knocked out of her.

They stayed like that, hugging as closely as they could to each other. Hugging as not only the "Best of Friends", but also as two people who "more than liked" each other. Love was a strong word, and they knew that although they both loved each other... it wasn't intimate love just yet. Mio would take a bullet for Ritsu, and Ritsu would do the exact same... but it wasn't like they were ready to marry yet.

But both of them knew that some day, they would be. They would get as close to marriage as possible, even if they had to go to Mexico or the United States to do it. Ritsu had always wanted to go to the United States, and quite a few states in the North East could join them. Japan, albeit not marrying same-sex couples yet, had already had legislation looked at to get it recognized.

Ritsu finally lightened her hug, and Mio did the same. Neither knew how much time had passed. Days... months? Seconds? Who cares? Ritsu looked at Mio and smiled. "You never answered my question earlier."

"What question was that?" Mio said, blushing slightly as she looked at Ritsu's glee stricken face.

"Who would you want the other leading role in the play to be?" She teased, giggling.

Mio looked at her blankly for a second, before shaking her head. "Don't be stupid... Julietsu..."

"Why would I be Juliet?" Ritsu retorted almost immediately, causing Mio to giggle slightly. The argument was short, not even a serious one, and at the end Mio just pulled Ritsu into a hug. Next, they kissed, on the lips. Mio couldn't remember if Ritsu had leaned in, or if she had. Or if they both had. All she knew was that it was perfect.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

I don't really find the need to commentate on this one. I hope you like the way I chose for them to come out with it; the memory book was the first thing that came to my mind. The whole reason Mio was scared was because she didn't want to wreck what she and Ritsu had, and visa-versa, so I thought it appropriate.

Chapter 19 turned out to be when they got together, and don't ask why, because I don't have an answer. I hope it was worth the wait for all of you... and almost at 100k words according to Microsoft Word word count.

There's still more story to tell, but this is a major climax of the story. I hope you enjoyed the ride to this point, but there is still more.

Reviews are well past appreciated, especially since this is a major point in the story. I wanna know everything that you are thinking about this.

Thank you all for reading, more next week!


	20. Chapter 20

Yui walked in the door to her house after some time. She knew she could slacken her pace on the walk home because of rehearsal being cancelled. She got out at least an hour before she usually did, but she wouldn't doddle. She had thought about asking Azusa to hang out somewhere, probably the park since it was free... unlike most other stuff. Yui didn't have the same fiscal leeway as other members of Keion did... one party in particular.

But, it still meant that she had enough time to walk through the park and enjoy herself while rehearsal was supposed to be occurring. She always loved taking the longer way home; it gave her time to think about life, current events, and stuff going on with her life.

Of course, her mind didn't want to think about much else than her Azu-nyan. She could focus on other stuff if needed of course, like not stepping in a giant mud puddle in the middle of the park, but when she didn't have to worry about anything else, she wanted to think about Azusa. After all, that copper eyed girl had been a project almost two years in the making.

The nail wasn't in the coffin by any means yet. After all, there was still a lot about Azusa that Yui didn't know... particularly what an intimate relationship entailed for the younger girl, and that was what worried Yui the most. The type of romance that she knew involved taking the person you loved to all sorts of exotic countries using money that your kids have no idea you had or where you might have gotten it.

But, Yui didn't know where to get money, aside from asking all of the members of the band to get jobs to help pitch in... but she wasn't' sure if she could ask them to do that simply so she could take Azusa to Germany or... wherever other places her parents liked to go. But... what did Azusa like to do within Yui's financial limits?

But, Yui's mind had to make a shift as she walked in the door, met by the surprised, almost frightened face of her little sister. Ui was confused as to why Yui was coming home so early, and almost thought it was a robber or intruder, which was never a good feeling for a sixteen year old girl. She prayed that Yui's habit of coming home at unusual times was exclusive to this week only.

Yui began thinking of a brief snippet of conversation between her and Azusa earlier. "Can I tell Ui?" No... Yui said she would, to soften whatever blow there was. And that's what the dazed looking girl was thinking about as she stood in the door, her bag on the ground behind her, and her little sister waiting for some sort of greeting.

"Hello Onee-chan..." Ui said, a bit dazed as well, but not even asking why Yui was home so early. When Yui had her thinking face on, Ui knew better than to disrupt her with trivial questions that could be asked at a later time. It was just like the morning when she saw Tsumugi's eyes for the first time... Yui was dedicated to her goal.

Yui knew exactly what to say really, it was pretty straight forward, and she wouldn't have a hard time saying it. She would put it in common terms and just tell her sister that she and Azusa were "going out"... despite hating the expression. It was so misleading, like saying that if you went to the mall with your parents, you weren't actually going out with them. But, Yui knew how she had to phrase.

She thought it would be easy, but what really held her back from just getting it out in the air was what it might do to Ui... and she cared for her little sister. Despite lacking the maturity to actually TAKE care of her little sister, she loved Ui far too much to just come out and say something that could shock or hurt her... it was difficult to grapple with.

Now, she knew that Ui was a very tolerant girl, that wasn't what worried her at all... but the fact that Yui was not only homosexual, but also dating her younger sibling's best friend... the now concerned brunette had reason to be worried about her sister's well being. "Hi Ui-chan..." Yui said, diving right in without any sort of plan, "Wanna talk about something?"

Ui tilted her head slightly, the confused expression on her normally calm and controlled face deepening slightly. "Uhh... s-sure!" She replied almost instantly, "What did you want to talk about."

"Uhh..." Yui took a deep breath and shrugged, cursing herself for second thinking herself instead of just saying what she was thinking and keeping calm. It was just impossible to treat this with the same carefree attitude that she treated nearly everything else. She just couldn't dive right in to this. But, she didn't have many other approaches. Head-on was the most common and successful approach she had used yet. "Azu-nyan."

"Ohh..." Ui said, a bit taken aback by the choice of topic, but not surprised by it one bit. There was no way she could be Yui's sister and not know that Yui was obsessed with Azusa. More so recently than ever before. "Sure, what did you want to talk about?"

Yui took a deep breath... how she could lead in to this. She took a few steps inside the door, thinking she may have an idea. She looked towards Ui, "I don't really know how to say this... but you'll understand when you get older." She said, placing her hands on Ui's shoulder, causing the only slightly younger girl to withdraw slightly, "You see Ui-chan, when two people really like and understand each other... sometimes they, 'Go out', like our mom and dad do whenever they have enough money."

Ui looked at Yui the whole time... mostly confused by how much older Yui got suddenly. Well... not older actually. For some reason, Ui knew that as Yui spoke, she herself got younger and younger in her older sisters mind. The only SLIGHTLY younger sister watched her Onee-chan with a sort of curiosity... but mostly an expression that said, "What the heck are you doing?"

At the end of Yui's minor speech, she released her younger sister's shoulders. Ui took a second before she reacted. What Yui had said finally registered which really kicked Ui into gear. It took a second for her to think about it, before she finally realized what Yui was referring to. Her expression went from curious, to confused, to even more confused, before shock finally set in. Not because she was offended, mostly because she was surprised. "Onee-chan...? Are you...? You know... uh..." She found her tongue getting twisted. "Dating Azusa-chan?"

Yui simply nodded, a little bit of a smile on her face. She watched her sister, waiting for some sort of reaction. Ui thought about it long and hard for a while, letting that fact set in, which was taking a lot longer than she thought. It was difficult information to absorb, despite how strongly she believed that her sister wasn't normal on sexuality terms. She had no trouble believing that Yui was homosexual, or at least bisexual, but for some reason it was taking longer to register than she thought.

Maybe it was the weird way Yui told her, or because her sister AND her best friend were involved... but it was taking her a while. But, the fact set in regardless, and Ui's face brightened up at the news. "Onee-chan!" She said, holding her hands out. "That's great!"

Yui smiled and held her arms out as well, pulling her younger sister into a tight hug and smiling brightly. Ui returned the hug with a flourish. She was genuinely happy for her sister, and for Azusa. A bit worried about it, of course, but better Azusa than someone else that Ui didn't even know and had no way of contacting. This was perhaps the best thing Ui could have hoped, because she had a connection, and a little bit of control, over both Yui and Azusa. More so for the former, but she still had a little of influence over Azusa.

Mostly because they were best friends, but all the same. Ui took solace in the fact that she could trust Azusa to take good care of her sister... or at least get her home AROUND curfew. And that was comforting enough for Ui. She loved her sister, and she didn't want to risk anything when it came to her... not yet. College was going to be difficult for her... but she was bracing herself for it.

It was in the middle of their hug that the phone rang. Yui held it a second longer, only while she debated whether to answer the phone or continue the hug... but she decided that on the off chance that Azusa was on the other line, she wouldn't want to keep the girl waiting. She pulled away from the hug, and gave her sister a questioning look. Ui returned it with a nod, assuring Yui that everything was ok and that she was dismissed.

Yui didn't waste a beat, and was at the phone immediately. It was Azusa, just as she expected, and she picked it up almost instantly. "Azu-nyan!" Yui cooed into the phone, before walking away from the receiver and towards the living room. She lay back on the couch and began to chat.

Azusa chatted as well, which felt a little strange to the both of them. Normally, neither of them spent too much time chatting on the phone. Usually it was just to discuss plans... but they chatted almost constantly. Ui brought snacks for her sister, confections that she had cooked up for herself to eat while she worked on her homework... but she couldn't resist giving them to Yui. Even though the auburn haired girl was almost completely distracted, she still thanked Ui for the food with a smile.

Ui was grateful to even get that much out of her dazed sister... she knew by the expression on her sister's face that her concentration would be incredibly hard to break. Based on what she was hearing, the conversation wasn't anything close to important. Far from it actually, Ui didn't even understand half of it... probably inside jokes in the making. Some of it was guitar related, Yui trying to think of a name for Azusa's instrument.

From what it sounded like, Azusa was shooting down every option that Yui was coming up with. Ui sighed, over hearing their conversation from the other side of the coffee table, deciding to spend the afternoon with her sister since she was home. Yui may not have been there in mind or spirit, but Ui enjoyed the company all the same. Even having her sister around was comforting to her.

"I'd love to do something tonight!" Yui said suddenly, causing Ui's focus from her literature reading to snap like a twig. She looked at her sister, waiting for the conversation to continue. "Ya! I can get some money from Ui..." Yui continued, looking towards her sister with pleading eyes. Ui looked at her with a surprised expression, shrugging a little bit. She didn't have rule over the check book, their parents did. They just left an amount of money depending on how long they would be on their trip for Ui and Yui to live off of. And an emergency credit card.

"Great! I'll see you down town then!" Azusa said in an excited voice, loud enough for Ui to hear from the other side of the room through the phone. Ui sighed in defeat, hanging her head and getting to her feet. She didn't want to disappoint anyone, she loved both of the girls and if she were to let them down it would be more than disappointing for her. She reached on top of the fridge, and pulled down roughly a thousand yen. Enough for Yui to pay for her date as well.

She turned to return to the living room, but Yui was waiting almost right behind her, like a dog waiting for a treat. Ui giggled slightly, her sister was just too darn cute. She handed Yui the bill, before putting her hands on her hips and speaking in the most motherly voice she could manage. "I want you home by eight." She said firmly, looking into her sister's eyes. Yui nodded, looking deep into Ui's eyes, catching and holding her younger sister's gaze with a strange look. "Fine... eight thirty."

Yui smiled and nodded. "Thanks Ui-chan!" She said, giving her sister a tight, excited hug before dashing out. "I'll see you tonight!"

The door shut and she was gone. Ui looked at the clock on the wall; it was just past five thirty. She looked at it a bit curiously, with a faded sorrow. Normally... she had her sister to herself in the evenings. In the calming light of the dusking sun, the house felt almost eerie to her. She just stood and looked around the house, amazed at how lonely it felt with Yui there.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Tsumugi was excited to be home the moment she stepped in the door. She had such a good idea for Ritsu, it was killing her. A secret admirer letter in Mio's backpack; cleverly slipped in during their shared first hour, which Mio wouldn't find until second hour. Tsumugi knew Mio was interested, and perhaps if Ritsu made enough allusions to who the note was coming from, Mio may get the courage up to mention something.

It was a long and painful process, but Tsumugi was in the zone. It had taken her all of fourth and fifth hour, with a minor break during rehearsal, mostly due to Azusa and Yui, but she had finally managed to get her thinking cap on. She was more than ready to get to work and give Ritsu whatever help she needed.

She had already put so much time into this; she was going to see it out to the end. She knew what the end would be, with only very little room for error. Mio liked Ritsu, and Ritsu liked Mio. Well... MORE than liked, but still. Tsumugi knew that with that chemistry established... the nail was already in the coffin... right?

She was unaware of what was going on less than five miles form her house, the tenacious efforts of Mio to press on and for once in her life take a gamble. She had spent the entire limo ride home thinking and coming up with new plans, including song lyrics. She thought they might work if they pertained to Mio enough, and if Ritsu presented them... there may be some leverage to be gained there.

She also thought of flowers. Maybe if Ritsu brought flowers to school, maybe to give them to "a friend" who wasn't present that day, she could give them to Mio. Flattery was always a positive when given in the right amounts. She almost felt bad about thinking of this plan, since it was just a little bit more devious than any other... but whatever she had to do to get ahead here, she would try or at the very least, think about.

After all, it was crunch time in her world, her world that was totally unaware of the memory book sitting on Mio's bed and the first pages of the dusty collection being revealed for the first time in years. To Mugi, neither of them was even in contact with each other right now.

So she continued with her planning, hoping to do the absolute best for the both of them. She wanted to help make things as comfortable as possible for Mio; she had to take Mio's emotions into consideration. But, she also wanted to make this as quickly as possible for Ritsu. She knew that Ritsu had been waiting for months and months, and these past four days, she had been working her tail off.

And Mugi wasn't going to let Mio or Ritsu walk away from this without something being admitted to. That would have been a shame. This had taken too much effort.

She made her way up to her room, past all of the butlers and maids bustling around and dusting, acknowledging her presence but not really questioning why she was home so early. She seemed busy, so they assumed she had something on her mind, and without tears in her eyes or blood spurting from the bandages on her hand, they had no reason to worry.

She sat down onto her bed and fell back spread eagle, looking upwards at the ceiling. She wanted to think of more ideas... but she found it difficult to do so considering how much her head was hurting and all that had happened recently. Her mind was racing with thoughts that had nothing to do with Mio or Ritsu, as well as thoughts that had to do with nothing but Mio or Ritsu.

The first thing that came to her mind was Yui and Azusa the moment she let her mind wander. She almost kicked herself for not realizing something was happening before... it was so obvious based on how attached Yui was to the Kouhai, in both literal and figurative senses.

Perhaps while she was watching their relationships develop, she had just wrote off Yui's affections as a combination of Yui just being Yui, and Mugi getting her hopes up. Wishful thinking often betrayed her when it came to the old game of, "Who's with whom", and she usually treated her fantasies and hopes as nothing more. But, although in most cases that was beneficial and kept her from getting her hopes up, in some others it kept her from realizing something special.

She did realize something that... Azusa and Yui were perfect for each other, just as she had always found. Though her fantasies often revolved around Yui and Mio, simply because both girls were incredibly cute and Mio's reaction to Yui's affections was simply adorable, Yui and Azusa were simply more compatible. Azusa was less squirrelly when it came to physical contact, and Yui simply attached to her. Not only that, but Azusa was extremely patient in her approach, and Mugi was positive that without that patience, no one could go far with Yui.

It was then that she was reminded of days prior... and she realized that in no time at all, her semi-morbid mental predictions for what was coming were coming true. She took a deep breath, turning her head towards her large, decadent furniture and electronics. She was happy for all of them, Ritsu especially since she knew that she would most likely be entering a relationship pretty soon. However, she had no idea that at that very second, Ritsu was kissing Mio's nose and admitting her "more than liking-ness" for the girl.

Tsumugi smiled, ignorance finally living up to its blissful reputation, as she sat up in her bed and looked towards the television. In short, she was very excited to have been such a huge help over the past few days, and she was very excited for Ritsu. Finally, Ritsu had not only a clue of where to go, but every tool she needed to make it happen. She was a bit scared of what the after math would hold... but right now, she still had ideas.

She smiled as she got a pen and paper, writing the down the various ideas that she had come up with on the way home. Fake song lyrics, anonymous love notes, and flowers. A perfect triad of romantic ideas to really spring Ritsu forward and build Mio's confidence as an admirer.

It was a perfect plan; there was nothing that could interfere with it. She knew Ritsu could lie like no bodies business, and had a poker face that could compete with the best of them. Although she was a bit worried Mio might as her if she knew anything, knowing how bad of a liar she was, she could avoid the subject if she steered conversation away from romance. She had confidence in herself to do that at least, she had hidden her homosexuality from her mother and father, as well as the butlers and maids, for as long as she had known about it.

It wasn't going to be hard to keep this a secret... now she just had to figure out the best way to plan this. What could be a good excuse for Ritsu to have flowers? Ritsu wasn't the flower type of girl... so who would she be delivering flowers to without drawing TOO much suspicion from Mio? A little suspicion was good... but too much could ruin that part of the operation.

She continued to think of candidates. The truth was, she loved this job. It was the most important, and entertaining, task she had had in a very long time. Jobs were great too, she loved seeing how the every man worked and earned their pay... but this was just fascinating to her. She wished there was a future in match making for her... but she couldn't start her own or eHarmony. Even her father didn't have enough money to buy either of those out.

She really wanted to drag this out, make it last as long as she possibly could so she could continue to demonstrate her knowledge and feel as important as she had over the last few days. She loved the attention she got from Ritsu and from Mio. She felt a little bad about betraying Mio's "secret" feelings... but it was for the girl's best in the very end wasn't? As long as that end took to reach of course.

Tsumugi wanted to keep that end postponed as long as she could, without even knowing that's what she wanted. She wasn't greedy by any means, but something deep down in her knew that she was making this too complicated. Perhaps that part also knew that Mio and Ritsu had just had their perfect kiss and were now fixing to get some snacks and watch a nice quiet movie, to give Mio's mind a chance to relax a little bit.

Perhaps that part of her mind also knew that Ritsu knew better than to assault Mio in any way, and even after the kisses and the hugs, would still do her best to make Mio as comfortable as possible. That part of her mind knew that Ritsu knew Mio better than Mugi did, despite Mugi and Mio being closer personality types, and Ritsu had enlisted Mugi's help to get the ball rolling.

But that part of the mind didn't know any of the details. All it knew was that Mugi had, and still was, making it more difficult than it had to be.

But that part of the mind didn't tell the rest of Tsumugi's brain, because it knew a good thing when it saw it. It knew how much all of this meant to the blonde, and it knew that all of this was giving her a purpose beyond being a tea supplier, key board player, and friend. It gave her a distraction, and a quest.

Or it did. Tsumugi picked up her cell phone and excitedly went to her text messaging inbox. She selected Ritsu as a contact and typed in an enticing message to hopeful bring Ritsu in to her new genius plot. "Hey, I have lots of new ideas! Get back to me when you can!"

Tsumugi left it at that, and sat back on her bed with her phone hugged tightly to her stomach. She turned on the television, and watched whatever the most distracting thing she could find was, which turned out to be a stupid child's cartoon. She needed to distract herself while she waited for Ritsu's response. She knew that Ritsu was tiring of this, and really wanted things to go one way or the other.

Her face brightened as she felt the phone vibrate against her stomach. She didn't waste any time flipping open the phone and reading it. The response wasn't what she had expected. "I dont think Ill need em. Thnx though!"

Mugi looked at it queerly for a second, trying to decide why Ritsu had taken so long to reply. Her mind immediately went to the idea that Ritsu had lost faith in Mugi, that the brunette was tired of waiting. Mugi immediately replied, her heart dropping in her chest and a chill running up and down her spine. "I know it's taking a while, but I promise it'll be worth it!"

Ritsu received the text message, and politely excused herself from the couch. Mio let her go no problem, and paused the movie while she waited, still dizzy from everything that had happened. Ritsu went to the bathroom, and calmly dialed Mugi's number. Half way through the first ring, Tsumugi answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Mugi-chan..." Ritsu said quickly, "I'd figure I might let you know before you put too much more time in... Mio came through for me. What you did worked! We kissed, hugged, and we're watching a movie now."

Tsumugi gulped as she listened, her heart sinking and her eyes fading in and out for a second. She listened, a mixture of dread and happiness over coming her, making her lay back on her bed. "So... it's over?" She asked finally, pausing for a while after Ritsu finished.

"Ya I think so! Thanks for the help. I gotta get back to the movie, so I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing. Talk to you later!"

Tsumugi heard a click on the other line, and she looked at her phone for a minute. Everything she had heard sunk in, and she slowly closed her cell before looking up at the ceiling. Her entire body felt ablaze with cold flames as she looked at the floral pattern on her ceiling. She was happy, and sad. She was a bit down trodden that her ideas were pretty much through with, and that her minor head ache had been brought on for no reason. She took a deep breath, looking at the ceiling and biting her lip as she traced the vines through the bright pink and blue flowers on the design. She spoke calmly in the late afternoon light, barely even realizing she was talking as she spoke. "Now what...?"

(*SCENE BREAK*)

An early release! I don't know if I'll have internet for the next few days, probably through Sunday, so I'm covering my bases. I hope you enjoy this early release by all of two days!

This was kind of a melancholy chapter... because yes, it's the catalyst for the next major couple in the series! I know I'm throwing them at you like gang busters, but progress has to be made!

There will be more fluff in the latter chapters, I promise you that, but for now this one was a turning point. Getting from Mio and Ritsu to Ui and Tsumugi.

I hope you're still enjoying the story. Reviews are great, to let me know if you still are! Ohh and I finally broke the 100,000 word barrier with this chapter! Yay!

Thanks for reading, more next week!


	21. Chapter 21

The evening and the morning went by simply from there. Tsumugi slept off her head ache, not wanting to stay awake and deal with it, and still not knowing what to expect emotionally once she actually realized Ritsu and Mio were together. She kept telling herself but they were, but she felt like she was lying to herself. She kept making excuses, such as Ritsu's optimism being a little over bearing, or that it wasn't set in stone yet.

But the logical part of her knew. Had Ritsu been being overly optimistic, the brunette would have sounded far more excited on the phone. She had not; she stated what she needed to completely matter-of-factly. There was no question for Tsumugi, her mission and her efforts were no longer needed.

That fact stung her slightly, and that night she wasn't in the mood to deal with both a head ache from useless planning and with the emotional baggage that came along with losing your job. It wasn't an actual job, no, but it was enough for her to consider it work and a purpose. Now, that work and purpose was gone, and she was just plain old Tsumugi again.

It was a bitter mixture of relief, happiness, doubt, and despair. Relief to not have to think any more, tell little white lies to Mio, or pass notes in class. Happiness because she felt as if she had done at least good enough to get them together, though she wasn't quite sure of that. There was the possibility that she had helped too much... which is where the doubt was coming from. And the despair... well that one was pretty straight forward. The job she loved was gone.

But, despite all of that, she slept fairly soundly, and no tears were shed in her room, or anywhere through out her morning routine. Everything seemed pretty easy and straight forward for her, as if everything was normal. And it was in a way. She didn't have to have anything planned; she didn't have to worry about how to tell Ritsu, it was just like a few weeks ago. It was just like it had been for nearly two years before that.

Except of course, two years before that, the other girls in the group weren't intimate with each other. Tsumugi didn't know how that might impact her, but already it was making her worry that attention towards her would become largely disconnected and reduced to what it was before. She was afraid that the other girls in the group would pair off with their respective girlfriends... and Tsumugi would be out of luck.

But her fears didn't stop her. She kept on with her day and her morning routine as if nothing was unusual and nothing was going to be unusual. She couldn't stand being sad, and she wasn't going to have it at school. Besides, she wouldn't know until anything actually happened... so why try and dim the outlook. She didn't know how the day was going to go, and she wasn't going to jump to conclusions.

Tsumugi treated everything normal, and left for the train... but the other girls were finding it hard to do the same.

Azusa and Yui had gotten home on time, and parted in their usual fashion. A hug and a kiss which seemed to get longer each time they parted. But that wasn't nearly the end of it. Yui was extremely euphoric, and found it difficult to think about anything other than what she could do with Azusa next.

She was still struggling to come up with romantic ideas... they weren't coming to her as quickly as she might have wished, and the ones she did have would either cost too much money or involved far too much planning. She had no idea, in essence, what she could do for low costs in order to keep Azusa happy. All she had in mind was sneaking some of Mugi's cake and maybe saving up a few dollars to buy some flowers. But that was dicey; first she would need to know what kind of flower to get.

So she continued to sleep, but the mental effort combined with the lack of sunlight quickly put her down for the night. When she got up in the morning, it was at her usual late time. That was fine with her, Azusa tended to show up late to school any ways. And she didn't need that much time with the girl before school; she could wait until first hour began. Though she wasn't as random, due to most of her thoughts being Azusa occupied, she still had her head in the clouds just as much as before.

Azusa however, wasn't thinking about how to be romantic with Yui. It was the last thing on her mind as she settled in to her bed and got ready to sleep. She didn't need to worry about dates or expenses, she simply loved being with and around Yui. Love struck was the term she recalled; when two people first get together they often are very affectionate and focused around each other. Azusa hoped that feeling would never fade.

What she thought about was not only seeing Yui again... but also how she was going to tell her parents. They knew she was homosexual, though they weren't sure if it was lesbianism or bisexuality, which she was incredibly thankful for. At the time they found out and confronted her about it, she was absolutely mortified. She was younger, maybe thirteen, and had said a couple very flattering comments about her class mates in passing. Her parents didn't think twice about it at first... but when Azusa started absentmindedly mentioning how soft other girls' lips looked, or how beautiful one particular girl looked with her hair down... they pieced things together.

They still treated her normally of course; they loved their daughter to death. But, Azusa realized that they had never really seen anything first hand with her. They knew about it, but they hadn't yet gotten any experience with it. Yui would be that first experience.

But, she dozed without trouble. It was something she would have to talk with Yui about, plain and simple, and she couldn't very well do that without being in her presence. So she put it in the back of her mind, and slept. Even getting ready for school the next day, she didn't think about it. It was something Yui would have to be there for.

Ritsu was happy, not abnormally, but more so than almost any other day. Her parents took note, but decided not to question the girl as she walked in the door the night prior with four words, "I was with Mio." And that was all her parents needed to hear. Mio was a great girl they knew and loved like a second daughter. Situation averted.

Ritsu didn't sleep so hot, she was just too happy. Not excited, that wasn't it... just pure and utter happiness. She found it difficult to try and doze off when she couldn't stop thinking about how well everything had gone... and even more excitedly, that there wouldn't be any more rules to follow as far as how she could act. Not that she had acted much differently, Mugi had done well on that respect, but now she wouldn't have to pull any punches.

Aside from not getting to touch TOO much, like a surprise groping in the hall way, Ritsu could treat this as she wanted. A step right above friendship. She would be more sensitive, talk with Mio more, and of course spend a lot more of her time with her best friend... but she could finally loosen her tie and stop with the subtle flattery and trickery around Mio. Not that she didn't like tricking Mio... there would still be lots of enjoyment out of scary masks and movies.

And the best part was, Mio had to watch those movies. A girlfriend's obligation. Ritsu was already looking forward to Halloween, as her mind raced faster than it ever had in the past.

Getting ready for school and actually getting out the door was difficult considering her usual lack of sleep... but easier than she thought once the motivation came to her that she would be walking to school with Mio. Problem solved.

Mio had the most difficult time of all trying to get to sleep, needless to say. This wasn't something that she had been looking forward to for months, or something she had been planning. After Ritsu left, Mio walked back in her room and sat down next to the memory book. She would need more pictures for it... but they wouldn't be hard for her to find. She knew just where they would come from. From Ritsu.

Sleep didn't come swiftly to her at all. She laughed. She cried. She lay back in her bed and thought about nothing other than the designs on her ceiling. All within ten minutes, she accomplished all of that, rinsed and repeated. It was a difficult night for her, trying to think of what the future was going to hold for her... nothing was going to be simple about this. First off, who could she tell about this? Nodoka would have to know first... or maybe Tsumugi would...

Or maybe she could find some way to tell them both at once... a text message? No, too impersonal. But Tsumugi and Nodoka didn't really know each other... inviting them both into one room to break what might have been the news of Mio's life would have been strange for both of them. She knew they both had a pretty strong indication of what she was going to tell them... but still! She couldn't even admit what had happened to her dark, lonely room.

She managed to get to sleep, hugging her body pillow as close as possible to her person, really wishing it was more than just a pillow. She needed a hug... the one Ritsu had given her upon parting that night with a light kiss on the cheek... Mio wished it had lasted ages more.

It was a rough night getting to sleep past that even. She didn't sleep soundly, she woke up what seemed like every half hour, and when she did wake up, and it didn't even feel like she had been asleep. It felt like she had blinked. Azusa and Yui came into her mind... she was afraid she and Ritsu would ruin something for them, steal their thunder or what have you. She worried about their peers at the school... she even worried about Ritsu and what her "fan club" might try and coax the brunette into. She couldn't stop herself... she was a thinker, no matter how hard she tried to stifle that.

Saying she slept would have been an exaggeration before her alarm went off. She was already awake when it did, just reluctant to check the time. She got ready, took some aspirin for her head ache, and headed off to school. Strangely enough, she wasn't tired. Her brain was still too wracked... but now she was staring her problems and her worries right in the face.

But one other girl paralleled Mio's sleeping troubles. It was a strange thing to the poor girl; usually Ui had no trouble getting to sleep, especially when she got up so early in the morning and refrained from caffeine on many occasions... but tonight was much different than any before it.

She got in bed at normal time... but sleep didn't come for hours after. The house was extremely quiet, Yui had clocked in earlier than usual... but the silence in the dwelling had no effect on Ui. If anything, it made everything calmer for her brain to fist fight with itself.

She didn't even realize how much had happened until that very night... she didn't even realize that everything had suddenly shifted under her feet. It came to her in waves. First was the realization that Yui would be spending more of her time away from home, or at least diverting her attention away from home. If Azusa were around, Ui knew that Yui wouldn't be able to focus on anything else fully... she had already seen that first hand.

But she wasn't stupid, and she knew that sadness wasn't what she wanted. Before she came to too drastic a state in her assumptions, she quickly shifted her mental gears to think about something else and calm her down until she got to sleep. It didn't take long, she was imaginative and could easily distract herself.

She was a Hirasawa after all, and being a little bit air-headed at times ran in her blood. Not nearly as much as Yui of course... but it was still in Ui's mind to let her do that. She escaped from the depressing thoughts of her current reality to a more peaceful, colorful world. A favorite place of hers to run away to when she had to, a large vibrantly colored field where she could just watch the graceful movements of the pink clouds and lime green fields.

She stayed in that frame of mind, until she felt calm enough to try and get back to sleep. She thought of happy things in her home, and in her past. She thought of Yui, how adorable she was, especially when she was happy. At least she would get to see Yui happy a lot more, even if the happiness wasn't entirely caused by her. She thought about how adorable Yui and Azusa were when they were together... how happy both of them looked. Ui took solace in the fact that she hadn't seen them together as a couple yet, as far as she knew, and that they would be much happier now.

She thought about how happy Azusa made her sister... how eager she had been to wake up early and see Azusa on Monday morning. How despite her tiredness, she had almost made it all the way to school without falling over. How she had just barely been saved from falling flat on her face by Tsumugi. How Tsumugi had just barely caught her... and then looked back at Ui with those beautiful blue eyes. How Tsumugi was so responsible to do that for Yui...

Ui snapped out of that train of thought... realizing she had hit a tangent. But that was her second realization... nothing was normal any more. Even things that were in her control were out of her control at this point. Like her "relationship" with Tsumugi. Yui and Azusa faded out of her mind... and other worries flooded it.

It was past midnight, but Ui was still wide awake as she tried to figure out what was wrong with her... why she had seemingly become obsessed. She tried to convince herself that she hadn't... that she wasn't obsessed by any means, but it wasn't serving her. No, she knew that in walking Azusa up stairs to the third floor, only to try and get a good glance at Tsumugi... it wasn't what normal people did.

She cried, which was also confusing to her. It had been a while since she had shed tears... but she felt absolutely helpless. Her sister, the person she cared for most in the world, was growing up to fast for Ui to want to accept. Yui was all the girl had for family most of the time, and one of her few friends. Ui didn't want her sister to spend less time around the house. And what would happen with her and Azusa's friendship...?

And then the helplessness came along that she was not only losing her Onee-chan, but what was going on between her and Tsumugi? Obviously, nothing was going on yet, but what was Ui's brain trying to tell her? What was her brain trying to accomplish making her worry so much about this? Normal if she had seen a stranger leaking blood... she wouldn't have cared. She had seen Tsumugi before of course... it wasn't like they had never met... so why only recently did Ui's brain start going into over drive?

It was a tough puzzle to crack at the start... but she fixed one problem by using another as a foothold. It only took a little bit of thinking, and once she realized that she wasn't going to get much sleep any ways... it was easy to crack down and put her mind to it. It was slow at first, thinking about why she couldn't get the blonde haired girl out of her thoughts... but the answers eventually pointed all in one direction.

The one selling point was Azusa and Yui's relationship... and although Ui knew that her "relationship" with Tsumugi was nothing like Yui and Azusa's in many ways... there were similarities. After all, Yui hadn't been able to sleep the days prior to hooking up with Azusa. Yui hadn't been able to keep her mind off of Azusa; Ui didn't have to be cupid to see why. Yui was excited... even to the point of obsession. But that was innocent, she had a reason.

And even though it surprised Ui a bit at first... she had a reason too. Tsumugi was absolutely beautiful in her mind. Smart, helpful, adorable... Ui realized without too much effort that Tsumugi was her Azusa. It came to her clearly... and although it was a bit confusing to start with the idea, eventually there seemed no other reasonable conclusion.

And it was a relief for her in a way. It kind of surprised her... but not entirely. She always loved to cuddle, especially with her sister or with Nodoka. Never had the idea crossed her mind to cuddle or even get close to a guy, maybe because they didn't have a huge place in her life... but still. The idea of even hugging Tsumugi made shivers run up and down her spine, and a small smile cross her face.

She would have been stupid not to see it, given the evidence she had at that point. That problem was solved, and although it would only create a whole slew of other problems that she would inevitably have to come to terms with, she began to feel more exhausted from the effort of thinking so late in to the night. The clock mocked her as she fell back in her bed... trying to think of what she could do to get closer with Tsumugi. She put the problem with Azusa and Yui aside... she had different things to think about it.

The exhaustion may have contributed to her farfetched idea... but something similar had worked for her in the past. Why would it not work now? Especially now that she would only have to make it work on one person, rather than four others. Besides, now she was far more knowledgeable of the group as a whole.

Normally, she would have written off the idea in her brain as nothing more than wishful thinking and a stupid risk... but at almost two thirty in the morning, the idea sounded better and better to the poor, exhausted girl. It would be so easy to pull off! So easy to take advantage of... and it would give her what she really wanted at that point in time. A mixture of comfort and the fruition of her desires.

It was decided by her at that point that she would go through with it. It would make sense for her... and the consequences would be small compared to the reward. After that was decided, she immediately fell asleep.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Ui got ready as normal in the morning, feeling a bit odd considering her lack of sleep, though it was nice getting up nice and early and not having to fight her sister for the hot water or their usual shower. Despite only getting three or four hours of sleep, she felt more or less herself, and had no trouble getting up and making some coffee to spark some life into her day.

She checked on her sister, who was sleeping about as soundly as she could be, and smiled as she made her way just inside of the room. She picked up and few of the hair pins that Yui used to keep her bangs out of her face and put them in her pocket. She giggled at the deviousness of her plan, but was comforted by the fact that it was literally victimless.

She had breakfast on the table for Yui by the time her sister came down. Despite her monstrous and almost unheard of lack of sleep in her world... she felt nearly herself after drinking a cup of her dad's pitch black coffee. Tea was great, but you could drink it before bed and still fall asleep. Coffee was something that Ui couldn't drink unless she REALLY wanted to be awake.

Ui and Yui's morning passed as normal from there. Yui ate her meal in a lazy fashion, while Ui went to work getting Yui's school supplies ready for her. She wasn't feeling quite herself, understandably considering the poor excuse for sleep she had had and the supplement to keep her conscious. But, being slightly dazed seemed to make everything a little clearer to her.

The morning didn't last forever; it never did on one of Yui's average days. Within thirty minutes of Yui getting out of bed, both girls were power walking to school so they wouldn't be late to their homerooms. Yui didn't really mind being late, she knew Sawako would cut her some slack, but Yui could not say the same thing. Besides, Yui wanted to hurry so she would be able to have some time to at least give Azusa a hug before school started. A hug was always a great start to her day... especially when she got it from Azusa.

They walked briskly as they made their way towards the school, trying to follow all of the traffic laws and the courtesy customs of being a pedestrian... but it was far more difficult than it had been in days prior. Ui almost wished she would see Tsumugi, but it didn't happen. Tsumugi was already at the school, in her home room, getting ready for the day to start, still doing her best to treat everything as normal. It wasn't an easy task, especially without rehearsal or even tea scheduled after school for all of them.

But Ui didn't fret when she didn't see Mugi. The two sisters made their way inside the school without much issue, and stayed together with each other for a few minutes before the bell rang. Ui waited because she was enjoying being around her sister, and Yui waited because she knew that Azusa walked down these halls every day.

But Ui also had an ulterior motive. Azusa came down the hall, and Ui smiled at her. The night haired girl smiled back, before her attention turned to Yui, tackling her into a hug. "Azu-nyan!" Yui shouted as she wrapped her arms around the smaller girl. Azusa almost lost balance, but pulled Yui into a hug as well.

Ui didn't interrupt, despite the question she wanted to ask. She may have wanted to know, but she wasn't desperate. She watched, before Yui finally released her hug and put an arm around Azusa's shoulders, looking as proud and prideful as she could. Azusa looked up at her and smiled slightly, looking towards Ui. The young brunette simply smiled, acknowledging so much with a simple gesture. With that one nod, Azusa knew that Ui had been told, that she was ok with it, and the small smile told her she was happy for them.

They began to part, with Yui walking one way looking satisfied with the hug, and Ui and Azusa moving the other towards their home room. But, Ui stopped her sister and looked towards both girls... stage one of her plan moving into action. "Hey, what time do you guys have rehearsal today?"

Yui and Azusa looked at each other for confirmation, before they turned to Ui. "We don't! We're taking a break!" Yui said with an excited smile. Ui nodded... she would have more room to do this than she thought. All she had to do was locate Tsumugi.

"Ahh ok, thanks then!" Ui said, smiling and nodding, before walking towards her home room. Azusa waved a small wave to Yui, before heading off after her exhausted friend. Ui couldn't have asked for a bigger window of opportunity as she reached in her pocket and touched the small yellow hair pins. If she did this right... everything would fall in place.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Oh my, Ui with a devious, yet some how familiar plan? How wonderfully surreptitious! (Don't worry; I didn't know what that meant either until I looked it up.)

The plan may look familiar to some of you, and it's meant to because I'm going from the series on it... but this time Ui has some ulterior motives. There's always a twist involved.

To all of you still reading, through this far into the story, thank you very much. Reviews are fantastic if you get the chance. Thank you all who have stuck with me, and don't worry, there is an end in sight.

I still can't believe my story has over 200 reviews! More next week!


	22. Chapter 22

The bell rang, and of course, Sawako wasn't in the classroom on time. No one minded the least, nothing much ever happened in home room... but college entrance exams and practice exams would be starting in enough time. As soon as the school festival was over, college preparation would be in full swing.

Mio was dreading that... she knew she would have to set her bass down and have to work a heck of a lot harder on her studies. But, her worries about Ritsu not going to university were fading quickly in her mind. At the beginning of the year, Mio was already beginning to dread saying good bye to her best friend... but now it seemed less and less likely that she would have to do so.

She was originally worried that Ritsu wouldn't have the necessary motivation to study, and thus, wouldn't get into the same university. But now... Mio had some leverage, and she knew exactly how to get Ritsu to study. A few tears, maybe some complaining, and then outlining the perks of studying... Mio knew she could trap Ritsu like a rat.

Mio barely even noticed as Ritsu sat down next to her, but her presence wasn't the same as it had been. Mio still felt stuff was a bit different between them, especially since it was technically the "morning after", though not nearly as explicit as some might have assumed... or liked to assume. No, it was nothing more than the day after they became a couple... the day after they progressed their friendship.

It was difficult, but she managed to look at her best friend with a smile. It wasn't awkward for them... it was just different. Both of them had so much to say... and they could each tell the other was about to say something. So for a few seconds, they didn't look at each other, simply because they were waiting for the other to say something. They didn't want to interrupt each other.

Tsumugi noticed from her desk on the other side of the room, and smiled a little bit. Yes, things were different... she had a feeling Ritsu's assigned seat next to her and Yui had changed unofficially to be next to Mio. But... it was ok with her. She was fine with Ritsu relocating, she had the right to do so, and it would have been stupid not to. Besides, it was cute to watch her and Mio try and treat each other like fragile cargo... and it gave her something to think about.

"Morning!" Ritsu said finally, smiling at Mio slightly. The raven haired girl blushed slightly and smiled, amazed that she hadn't come up with the simple, easy greeting before Ritsu had.

"Morning Ritsu." She replied calmly, smiling a little bit, her pencil sloppily scribbling down the agenda that Sawako had written on the board before class. Dates, the weeks agenda, college exams starting... the entire months calendar. Mio didn't register she was even writing down the schedule.

"How did you sleep last night?" Ritsu asked, not even opening her bag and simply leaning towards Mio. It didn't take a hawk's eye to notice that Mio wasn't quite at her one hundred percent. "You look pretty beat..."

Mio shrugged, simply waving off Ritsu's absolutely true comment. "Ya... I didn't sleep so hot last night. Just busy... thinking about stuff." She said with a warm red glow on her cheeks. She could just hear Ritsu's mind running wild with risqué jokes and thoughts, not because she was Tsumugi, but because she was Ritsu.

"What kind of stuff?" Ritsu asked with a salacious grin on her face, looking towards Mio.

"Just stuff." Mio said firmly, flashing Ritsu a look in her eyes, telling her in the keenest and most simplistic way possible that she should change the subject. And for once, Ritsu obliged. Yet another perk Mio noticed... one that she hoped would last for the rest of her life.

They began talking about where Sawako might be in the morning. Ritsu made a few less than flattering suggestions about boyfriends... Mio tried to keep it plain and simple, and as innocent as she possibly could so Ritsu wouldn't make any references. Just like Azusa, she didn't want any rumors to be started yet. But unlike Azusa... Mio didn't want ANYONE outside of her and Ritsu to know.

That plan had already been foiled, unbeknownst to her... but Ritsu hadn't been told, and she didn't want to lead Tsumugi on with plans and the like. But, neither Ritsu nor Mio noticed Nodoka walk in and take her usual seat next to Mio. She watched them, not vigilantly, but from the corner of her eye as Sawako hurriedly rushed into the classroom with her hair flying behind her. At the beginning of the year, she was the sweetest and most perfect teacher in the school. Thanks to the Keion girls, particularly Yui and Ritsu... her true colors shined through.

And in a weird way... she knew. It was simple, Mio was way more comfortable with Ritsu sitting next to her, and their dialogue flowed like water. But that wasn't eh only dead give away. Mio was absorbed by Ritsu, and visa versa. Mio wasn't acting like a scared little puppy any more, and Ritsu clearly wasn't pulling her punches. They were best friends again... and without a doubt, something more.

Nodoka was an observant girl, and always gave her best on whatever she was challenged with. Even if she didn't REALLY want to be challenged by it, and had really been forced to go through with it... The thing that came to her mind at that point in time was the specialized ID card she had been handed by the former student body president. One made just for her, with her name and her new ID number. She knew for a fact that Ritsu and Mio were romantic, or at least had had some sort of event between them to be considered as such. She could tell by the way Mio's body was directed towards Ritsu, and the way Ritsu's attention was focused entirely on Mio. She could tell that at the end of class... there would be a hug.

Nothing more though, Mio was cautious. Which is where the trouble came in. Nodoka would have to ask Mio if she could share the gossip with a certain fan base the poor girl had gathered. She remembered her "presidential obligations", but they seemed meaningless to her... especially when it came to protecting a friend. That was her first and foremost obligation. However, she wouldn't be able to ask Mio until the end of class in passing. Besides, her favorite distraction was trying to distract her.

Sawako didn't take any of the attention from the class. She sat at her desk and filtered through her papers, looking busy. Tsumugi recognized it as her disguise for looking like she was actually doing something.

Only she and a few of her students knew that most of those papers were totally blank. The others were comics, manga prints, or copied magazine articles. Only one of them looked "businessy" at all, the one she kept on top.

It didn't matter that rejection was still fresh in Tsumugi's mind... she still had a pretty heavy appreciation for her teacher. Everything Sawako did seemed so amazing... so clever. It wasn't against the law... it's the whole, "Look but don't touch" rule. And Tsumugi was ok with that.

But thanks to Sawako being so striking and clever in Tsumugi's mind... she barely even noticed that she was sitting alone on an island. She looked around for Yui, the two desks by her empty, but didn't manage to find her in the general vicinity. It wasn't until she looked across the room at Nodoka, as well as Mio and Ritsu, did she see where Yui was.

She was distracting Nodoka, which was easy enough to do since Nodoka wasn't focusing on anything. Yui had thrown her arms around Nodoka's chest, and was saying something that Tsumugi couldn't quite make out. Something about "missing you so much", a comment Tsumugi caught when other conversation in the room had died down momentarily.

Nodoka looked happy with Yui's arms wrapped around her, and Tsumugi couldn't blame her one bit. Yui's hugs were the best out of anyone! That girl could hug like no one else Tsumugi could even think of. Not her mother, not her father, no one in Keion... not even Sawako. Yui had completely mastered the art as far as Mugi was concerned. She wished once again, as she had in days prior, that she had one of her own. That every household could have one of their very own.

Having a Yui in her house would have made the night prior a lot less difficult and emotionally weighted.

Nodoka was laughing and smiling, looking towards Yui with surprised and glad expressions. Tsumugi assumed it was because Nodoka had been told about Yui's accomplishments with Azusa in the past few days. Tsumugi smiled, just thinking about the two of them, and giggled slightly. She had forgotten that Yui and Nodoka were practically daughter and mother.

She averted her attention from Nodoka and Yui, and from Mio and Ritsu who had been inching closer since the start of class. It was doing nothing but making her sad. She frowned slightly... she came to the realization that she had little to no patience when it came to stuff like this.

She looked towards Sawako, only to meet the teacher's eyes. She blushed slightly and pulled back, but Sawako kept her gaze. Sawako smiled slightly and shrugged, looking towards the other group, before looking back at Tsumugi. She mouthed something, very discreetly, that Tsumugi followed perfectly. "Just wait."

Tsumugi took a deep breath and nodded. They had already been over this, and although it was kind of lonely on that side of the class all by her lonesome, she knew there would be some sort of pay off.

Sawako went back to her reading casually, and Tsumugi looked out the window. She thought about going to sit over with the rest of them... but she felt like it would be exactly like it was over here. No conversation. And she was fine with that. Yui and Nodoka were best friends, and Mio and Ritsu were much more than even that now. Tsumugi didn't have the heart to interject.

She cared too much about them, and she was refreshed by Sawako's pleasant optimism. She felt a bit foolish about confronting Sawako in the first place... Sawako was more mature than Tsumugi could have ever even imagined. Well... that's what HER opinion of Sawako was... most others would beg to differ.

And, the other factor preventing her from walking over and sitting next to them was... well... the bell signifying the end of class. That was... pretty much the selling point that she wouldn't need to sit with them. It was a bit strange not having Ritsu or Yui next to her... but she didn't blame either of them for their choice.

She left for her first hour, with a bitter sweet frame of mind. She wasn't upset in the slightest though because of one fact. She would get the real scoop from Ritsu in their second hour.

After she left, and Yui quickly darted off after parting with Nodoka, the student body president found one fact troubling. Yes, there was a hug at the end of class... and now Mio and Ritsu were walking extremely to each other as they made their way to their next class. Not holding hands, not quite yet ready for that step... which made Nodoka slightly on edge. What was she going to do to get Mio's attention?

She had to think on her feet, not a strong point of hers by any means. "Mio! I need your help with this... thing really quick!" She shouted after Mio, causing the two "lovers" to stop at the door and look back. "It'll only take a second!"

Mio looked at Ritsu, who shrugged and leaned against the door frame. Mio made her way back to Nodoka, giving her a confused expression. Nodoka smiled, and whispered as quietly as she could, "Is it a secret?"

Mio thought about the comment for but a second, before she blushed and looked at Nodoka wide eyed. She didn't know what else to do, she was at a loss that Nodoka even had an idea that something had happened... but Nodoka was technically a "president", who knows what kind of knowledge came with that. It worried the black haired girl slightly... who had told Nodoka?

But she didn't have time to over think it. She simply gave a small nod, which Nodoka returned and packed her stuff. "Congratulations." She whispered before making her way past Ritsu and out into the busy hall way. Mio got to her feet and took a deep breath... amazed that her secret had already been exposed. She would have to do a much better job of keeping it a real secret.

Easier said than done of course, her next hour would be spent entirely with Ritsu. It would be difficult trying to act completely normal without giving something away, especially since she really wanted to get closer to Ritsu. Hold hands. Sit down next to each other and let their shoulders and thighs brush against each other. Heck, maybe even play a little "footsie".

It would be difficult, but Mio would pull through. She was thankful for one thing though... Nodoka was a good enough friend to ask if it was a secret or not. And that was perhaps the best thing that Mio could have asked for. She quickly made her way back to Ritsu, shrugged when asked what Nodoka wanted, and made her way into the busy hall towards philosophy.

It was going to be yet another busy day... but this time, she wouldn't be running from anything, and she wouldn't be afraid. No, unlike the past week, today she wasn't dreading anything. She was looking forward to it.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Ui and Azusa couldn't talk in their home room unfortunately. The teacher watched them like a hawk, and made sure the room was conversation free whenever she was talking. It was a difficult life for the class full of second years, but Ui wasn't that worried about it when push came to shove. After all, even though Azusa was dating her sister... she had no idea what she would say.

Congratulations didn't seem right, it seemed like it was too easy and it wouldn't have meant anything to Azusa. After all, she wasn't trying to impress any one, and she already knew that Ui approved. Azusa and Yui had been gone for a really long time the night prior, and Ui could guess that the two had talked about Yui's confession. It didn't really bother Ui though; she wasn't upset nor offended by the fact that they had hooked up. Sure, a normal sister would have told Ui before hand in most cases... but then again, was Yui a normal sister?

Nope, not one bit. No, Ui felt no hard feelings... but she wasn't exactly sure if she felt any feelings at all towards them at all. She loved them both, and she was very happy they had worked it out... but the situation she was stuck in thanks to it was a bit desperate. She slipped her hand in her pocket, running her fingers over the yellow hair pins in her pocket and taking a deep breath. Homeroom was uninteresting, the teacher just reviewing how to properly watch an act at the upcoming festival. She wouldn't have class embarrass her... Ui decided that old teachers should retire before seventy-seven. It was taxing on the class.

She would have liked to talk with Azusa, just to distract her from her nerves. But her plan was moving forward... she thought seriously about pushing it forward sooner than she had expected. But she didn't want to be overly reckless with it, it may be her last try at something like this if she did it wrong, and her reputation as a friend and a trustworthy person would go down in flames.

But she had no choice... this was the only way she would be able to get what she wanted so badly. It was a pretty delicate plan she had concocted, but she had been down this ally before. The only difference here was the fact that there was far less room for error.

At a glance, it was simple plan. Thanks to her similar features, aside from a few discrepancies, she could imitate her sister almost perfectly. She had done it before, but this time the stakes were higher. She ran through her plan in her head.

First, she would wait until Tsumugi was alone in the music room. This was the hardest part of the plan, she would have to find a time when the blonde haired girl was alone for enough time. Ritsu and Mio could also be there, sure enough, but Yui and Azusa couldn't. Azusa would get suspicious if she saw someone Yui-esque hugging onto someone else and Yui would blow the plan entirely. Besides, Yui and Azusa would be attached. But, if she was alone entirely... it would work way better.

If she found Tsumugi alone, she would quickly change into her sister. She would prance in and pull the girl into a hug, something she assumed Yui would do with Mugi without too much question, say good bye, and leave. Sure, she would milk the hug as much as possible, but she would move quickly and efficiently. Hopefully, Tsumugi wouldn't detect the small differences in physical attributes. She knew she wouldn't detect the emotional differences, after all, Ui now knew all of Yui's nicknames, and after living with the girl for years, she could emulate that perfectly.

The problems fell in finding Tsumugi alone, with Yui and Azusa completely gone. After school would be the fastest way and safest way. Ui wouldn't take long of course, and without rehearsal, they wouldn't spend much time together. Azusa and Yui would probably head off into the distance, hands locked, which was perfect for Ui. There was as a lot of room for error, but Ui didn't have any other ideas.

What was she expected to do, confess? No no, that wouldn't work for her. She was up front about a lot of things, but love wasn't one of them. Love scared her to death. And she embarrassed easily around those she admired, like Tsumugi.

She loved to hug, and if she got a hug from Tsumugi, she would be happy. No, she didn't want the girl to know it wasn't Yui hugging her, and yes, she felt bad about using her sister's image and personality like some sort of opportunist to get closer to her crush... but it was also exciting and devious. Those two things weren't something Ui could say about a good portion of her life. Exciting, sure... but devious wasn't something her life could be described as too often.

She was confused by her own blur of emotions, but there wasn't any going back on the plan now. She was already imagining how good that hug would feel, how amazing it would be to be that close to the most perfect being in the world. In her opinion of course, but she was sure of one thing. That hug would make her happy, and feel less lonely, which is something she needed after the last few days.

Class began to wind down, and the teacher took her seat at her desk about a minute before the end of class. She let the class talk. Immediately, Ui got whatever thoughts in her mind, and a plot spawned which made her spine tingle with excitement. It would benefit everyone! "Hey Azusa!" She said quickly. The pig-tailed girl turned to her and smiled. Ui lowered her voice. "I'm so happy for you and Onee-chan!"

"Thanks Ui-chan!" Azusa said with a blush, "I'm glad you approve, I was really worried about that..."

"No no! I'm really happy for you guys!" Ui said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "In fact... why don't you go to that really nice Café down town after school? My treat! You can use my allowance and get a nice meal as a couple." Azusa thought about it for a second, a bit confused, but shrugged.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!" Ui said, smiling warmly. Little did Azusa know of her ulterior motives, but that wasn't important. They were falling in place. The bell rang, and Ui took the money out of her bag, handing a couple of bills to Azusa. "Just bring me change ok?"

Azusa nodded and smiled. "Thanks Ui-chan." She said, still a bit surprised by the generosity... and by the tenacity. Wasn't all of the money Yui spent also related to Ui? Azusa wasn't stupid, she knew how stuffed worked in the Hirasawa household. When their parents weren't around... she was positive Ui handled the credit cards and the budget their parents left. But, it was the thought that counted.

Ui left for her first hour with a smile on her face. Plan security, that's what funding the date mainly was about, but it was also a good thing to do for her sister and Azusa. Despite it all, she was still extremely happy for them.

Azusa left homeroom towards Yui's class with a strange feeling in her stomach. She was a bit confused as to why Ui would offer to pay for their dinner, when the money was hers to use anyways. She knew all Yui had to do was ask her sister for something and Ui would most likely grant it... so why would Ui be so eager to pay for them? Wasn't she already?

'She's probably just excited...' Azusa thought to herself as she walked into her first hour, 'She's probably just happy for us, and doesn't have any other way to show it. Ya, that's probably...' There is where her train of thought was forced to cut off, not by her or by her teacher... no, a certain third year brunette was to blame.

It took Azusa a second to register what was going on, her train of thought so rudely interrupted. It took her a second to realize that she was being hugged, and her lips felt a heck of a lot warmer than they usually did. Her eyes blurred as she realized it was not just an embrace, but also a kiss. The kind of kiss that was so full of love your lips were pressed against your teeth. Yui pulled away with a smacking sound Azusa had thought only existed in movies. Her arms tensed up and her eyes blurred for a second as she realized the situation.

Yui had blown the top off of the entire covert operation to remain as discreet as possible, and hopefully prevent rumors and drama from spreading. But Azusa now found herself in a crowded classroom, full of what must have been on lookers, in the aftermath of the biggest kiss Yui could have given her. It was at least a few seconds long, giving anyone who wanted to see plenty of time to do so.

Not to mention the flourish that Yui ended with, a smacking sound that still echoed in Azusa's ears as a harbinger for the drama and ruckus that would most likely ensue in a school full of romance hungry teenage girls. Azusa looked at Yui with shock plastered all over her face. Yui on the other hand, she looked incredibly proud of herself. Azusa had wanted to wait to tell the members of the club, and she had already told Ui and Nodoka. Now, Azusa was fair game... right?

"Azu-nyan?" Yui asked, not paying attention to the gawking spectators to the scene, most of which were probably going to be late to class. Azusa hadn't even made it in the classroom yet; they were still in the crowded hall way, with Yui holding Azusa up so the girl didn't fall down in her shock. Azusa was trying to wrap her head around what she should do first.

She was in a hallway full of spectators, gossipers, and on lookers. She was in Yui's arms still. She also had a blush on her face. She wanted to get away from that situation as quickly as she could, without drawing too much attention to herself. Now, if she chose to just run for the classroom and get her stuff out, Yui may be offended by her lack of compassion. But, if she stayed here, she would be in trouble of more gossiping. If she hugged Yui for comfort, there would be even more trouble... solidifying the rumor forever.

But what other choice did she have? She couldn't just stay in the hall and look at Yui with an expression that said nothing more than, "What the heck was that?" So she looked Yui in eyes, took a deep breath, and wiggled free of the hug. She took Yui's hand and lead her into the classroom, ignoring the busy noise behind her filling the air with gossip. "Are... are they together!", "They're so cute together!", "Isn't she a junior? What's she gonna do next year?" Azusa blocked it all out and made her way to her seat, Yui in tow.

She looked up at her girlfriend. "Yui... could we not do that again in the hallway?" She asked, a blush on her face, and her eyes filled with fear. "That... wasn't how I wanted the school to find out about us..."

Yui looked at her a bit confused. "How did you want them to find out? I don't think we could call an assembly for it... unless it was during the summer festival. But do you really think that that would be appropriate? It seems greedy to take up assembly time for just us two..."

"I didn't want them to find out... They're just going to gossip, and spread rumors about us." Azusa said, a bit more quietly as more students entered the classroom. The Kouhai shuddered as she saw a couple of girls cast them a glance, and then whisper something to each other before giggling. She frowned slightly, this is exactly what she had hoped to avoid.

"Aww but why not?" Yui whined, loudly, drawing even more attention to the couple. "I don't want to hide..."

"It's not hiding!" Azusa whispered harshly. "Public displays of affection are rude to begin with, and I didn't want rumors to start about us. It's ok if people know were in a couple... but I didn't want it to get out to everyone like this. They're going to say all sorts of untrue things about us. Some of it's probably going to be gross... I didn't want the word to get out like that."

Yui frowned and looked at Azusa with apologetic eyes. She thought it was a good plan, just like she had done with the club in the club room. In retrospect, Azusa could have easily seen it coming. Once everyone was told who needed to be told, it was fair game. The message needed to be spread through out the school in Yui's mind, so they wouldn't be sneaking around like the Montagues and the Capulets. The "Romios" and the "Julietsus".

"I'm sorry Azu-nyan..." Yui said after a moment of silence. "But now that they know, we don't have to be so secret about it right? We can hold hands and hug and stuff!"

"I guess so..." Azusa said with a blush. The funny part of it was, they could have done that before hand and been just fine. But, Azusa did understand where Yui was coming from on the issue, how it was better to get the word out quick and let the drama simmer down before it builds up too much and explodes. There is nothing wrong with that, it was actually a bit safer. Besides, it relieved Azusa's stress in a way, because now she wouldn't have to worry about who saw them when they kissed, or hugged, or held hands. They were in the clear. "You're forgiven. Thank you Yui-senpai." Azusa finally said with a smile, before giving Yui a light hug. "Now get to your seat, I'll talk to you in a few minutes."

And they did. The teacher gave them reading time a couple minutes into class, and they took full advantage of it. Despite it all, Azusa did her best to ignore the gossip and the cooing going on right behind her. She had to make some changes for Yui, and she would start there.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Finally things starting to shift back to normality, even if Nodoka figured out Mio and Ritsu's secret. She was a major part in developing the couple at the start of the series, so I think it was right she should know as well, in her own way at least.

Yui just doesn't know when to stop with poor Azusa, but at least the feline-esque girl can learn to live and forget. Despite their differences, I think they work well as a couple, with Yui pushing Azusa along through it all.

Reviews are much appreciated as they always are. I can tell you, without them, I wouldn't have made it this far into the story.

Thank you all for reading, more next week!


	23. Chapter 23

Fortunately for Mio and Ritsu, rumors hadn't started to buzz about them quite yet. Sure, they walked a little bit closer together than they had in days past, and they did spend a little more time getting to class in transit. However unlike Azusa, Mio was still in an extremely cautious and careful area. Especially now with the knowledge that Nodoka was able to simply guess about her and Ritsu finally hooking up. How overt were their affections that Nodoka would be able to guess without anything of a struggle?

However, Nodoka hadn't really guessed so much as known, by simply observing and talking with Mio over the past few days it was pretty easy to come up with the conclusion. Ritsu sitting closer, and the two of them talking with a just a little awkwardness between them both. What Mio didn't realize was that no one else in the school had been paying that much attention to her and Ritsu, and there were all sorts of reasons things could go from awkward to comfortable again between best friends. Maybe a fight, maybe a boy, maybe a small falling out. Suspicions were low.

Unlike between Azusa and Yui of course. But unlike Yui, Ritsu understood the fragility that was Mio, and she knew that setting Mio off would have been a pretty bad move. Especially now, since Mio was still dealing with a whole slew of new emotions and conditions in their friendship. Ritsu REALLY didn't want to stress the girl out more than she already was.

But Mio was a bit uneasy on what she should do next. They walked slowly, Mio occasionally casting a glance at Ritsu, not really sure why. She had seen plenty of couples in the high school, whether it was girls bringing their boyfriends over from other schools or from their work, or it was girls just being with each other. Not as common as one may think, considering how large Mio's fan club was, but it did occur.

She was having trouble thinking of what to do walking with Ritsu. In the past when other girls brought their significant other, they held hands when they walked, put their arms around each other, and flirted nearly constantly even in transit. But then again, they weren't trying to hide the fact they were in a couple... they were flaunting it.

Mio however was at an impasse. She wanted to be closer to Ritsu, everything about the girl screamed warmth and safety to her... despite their history together. Mio felt like she should be holding Ritsu's hand, hanging off her arm, or kissing her right in the middle of the hall way. But then again, there were consequences she wasn't sure if she could accept. It had been a rough five days for her.

But, she felt like she had something of an obligation to Ritsu, and to herself, and to them as a couple. They neared their philosophy class, and the hall was super crowded people literally bumping into each other to file through the narrow passageway. No one seemed to be paying attention to anything except where they were going.

Perfect.

She had stayed close enough to Ritsu to where she didn't need to worry about who was standing next to her. She looked slightly in Ritsu's direction, and saw her auburn hair and yellow headband. She reached her hand out, which was trembling like a leaf, and wrapped it lightly around Ritsu's. It felt a little strange, but her gentle grasp reminded her of last week in Biology. It reminded her of Ritsu's gentle, albeit unconscious, grasp on her hand. It was just as nice as she had expected, warm and calm.

Ritsu was caught off guard by it, and she had to check and look down at her hand to make sure. Once she realized what had grabbed her and was holding her hand, she looked at Mio for confirmation. Mio looked back at her and gave a weak smile. Ritsu returned it with a slightly bigger one.

They walked for a few seconds like that, with Mio's hand wrapped around Ritsu's in a gentle, feminine grasp. Ritsu relished at how soft Mio's skin actually was, even though the girl played bass. She was thankful she did, she recalled from years ago that since bass strings were thicker, they didn't tear into the skin or callus it. They simple made it tougher to break through, while still maintaining all the comfort and warmth the hand had to give.

Ritsu beamed as they made their way through the busy crowd, wrapping her fingers in between Mio's. They fit perfectly, despite Mio's fingers being a little longer than her own. Those spaces between their fingers filled with each other's fingers, the warmth sharing between them. Ritsu could tell by the slightly clammy feeling that Mio was nervous about doing that, she could tell she still wasn't in full blown relationship mode yet. And who could blame her? It had only been half of a day since they confessed.

Things just don't happen over night, despite how much love they had between them. Sure, if they were other people, things might have happened quicker... but this was anything but a normal situation. As soon as the crowd began to thin, Ritsu felt Mio's hand grow slightly clammier and her fingers start to wiggle. Mercifully, she released Mio's hand and they two broke free.

"That was nice Mio." Ritsu said very calmly as they walked. "Thank you for that." Mio blushed a bit and nodded.

"It felt right." She said with a gulp. Ritsu nodded and smiled as they continued to walk. And Mio was right, it did feel right. It felt pleasant, peaceful, and right between the two of them. But the thing that Ritsu appreciated about the action most of all was that Mio was trying, despite the inhibitions and the fear of someone finding out, Mio was trying her hardest to still push forward with it.

And that was what Ritsu loved about Mio. Despite the inhibitions, the fears, and the constant worries about what must have been a million different things... she still managed to muster the tenacity to reach out and grab her hand. She still managed to muster the desire to please Ritsu and not just play everything totally safe. It meant the most to Ritsu that Mio was doing the one thing she had the hardest time doing for HER. Taking risks.

They walked into philosophy and sat down at their adjacent desks. Mio looked over at Ritsu, who was settling right into her bed away from bed, before looking towards the front of the class. She hadn't realized before this whole ordeal how much physical attention she would want from a significant other. Even though she was still coming to terms with the fact that she and Ritsu were actually in an intimate friendship, she still wanted to hold hands and hug and even kiss. The thought of a kiss made her toes tingle, just because of how strange and different it felt compared to a kiss from her mom or dad, but sure enough she wanted more of them.

She looked at Ritsu, who had already tucked her head into her arms and shut her eyes. Mio noticed that a bit of hair had fallen free of her head band. What's more, it was blocking most of Ritsu's face from Mio's view. It did look kind of cute down, but Mio didn't want to just see Ritsu's hair through the class whenever she decided to steal a glance at the girl.

She looked around the class room as a safety measure, before she reached across and moved the small clump of hair away from Ritsu's face. "Thanks..." the nearly unconscious brunette mumbled before taking a deep breath and tucking her head further into her arms. Mio smiled and nodded, taking a look at the girl's face before turning her attention towards the front of the class. She was still a good student, despite infatuations.

Aside from that, class passed as normal. Mio would occasionally look down at Ritsu's face, checking to see if she was asleep, and enjoying the unblocked view for the length of the period. Ritsu slept soundly, which Mio was thankful for in way. It meant she wouldn't have to say or explain anything as to why she was looking down at her for nearly the whole period... though she had an inclining that despite what she said, Ritsu would know the truth.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Parting for the two of them was surprisingly easy. Class ended before Ritsu learned anything, not surprising considering how unconscious she was during the length of the period. Mio would have plenty of time to gather herself in the next few hours of the day, and she would do her best to remain composed in doing so despite the hurricane of emotions she was fighting with.

They parted at the door, with both in a somewhat awkward situation considering what they were trying to do. They were saying good bye to their girlfriend, yet they didn't want to give any indication that's what they were doing. The looked at each other for a second, before Ritsu reached her hand out and put it on Mio's shoulder.

Mio blushed, and met Ritsu's eyes with an uneasy, yet somewhat comfortable expression that Ritsu understood completely. "I'll uh... I'll talk to you later." She said simply, deciding not to complicate it with too many words. She smiled at Mio, and Mio smiled back a little with a nod. They parted from there, feeling like they should have done so much more... but happy with what they had done.

There were really no suspicions to be gathered, it was a fairly innocent, if not awkward, way to part as friends. The contact felt just right to both Mio and Ritsu. Ritsu was proud to not have over stepped her boundaries and made things awkward between them, and Mio was just happy to get physical attention. She was amazed, but a term came to her mind. It often applied to very effeminate girls, usually teenagers. Love struck.

So they made their ways towards their second hours, both on top of the world, and both a little estranged by how odd and comfortable things were. Mio sat in her second hour, expecting to debate what to do next to make Ritsu happy and maybe even break away from their little secret and expose the truth to the world. It made her... worried, even at the thought of it.

She dismissed the thought; it was something she would have to discuss with Ritsu. She couldn't tackle that alone, not after these last few days. So she simply thought about what was coming to her, mostly thinking about the last few days, the thanks she owed, and what being in a relationship really meant.

Ritsu however, took a seat in her desk next to a very happy, pleased looking Mugi. She couldn't blame her, the girl next to her was all smiles at that point and she knew pretty darn well why. She had done an excellent job, even if it had killed Ritsu to follow through with the plan; she knew it was most likely for the best.

Mugi was eager to talk as well; she really wanted to speak with Ritsu. Unlike the other members of the club, she had no excitement in her life. It was the same as it had always been, aside from feeling a little melancholy in the morning after ending up sitting in a little island all by her lonesome. It felt a little disheartening to be there all by herself... and her first hour had been nothing special in the world. Boring at best.

But honestly, she didn't know what to say to Ritsu that the other girl didn't already know. Ritsu already knew Mugi was happy for her didn't she? But, she had to take a shot in the dark. The remaining melancholy feelings of that morning faded away from the girl as she turned towards Ritsu, with a few minutes to spare before class. She was struggling for something to say, despite her beaming expression and the wide smile on her face.

"I'm so happy for you!" Mugi said finally, a bit loudly, causing Ritsu to jump back from her slightly. Tsumugi didn't notice, she simply leaned in with angelic warmth around her. She reached out and grabbed Ritsu's left hand, causing Ritsu to chuckle awkwardly in response. "I can't believe it worked out!"

"Y... ya!" Ritsu said after a minute of looking into Mugi's glowing blue eyes, a bit shocked at what she could do to return the girl's energy. She was still out of it from her little nap during first hour... and she wasn't sure if she could match Mugi's elevated level of joy.

She was happy, as happy as she had ever been, but she was trying to play everything as cool as possible. She had her head in the game, and if she went off the deep end, she was sure that Mio would soon follow her and they would be lost without a plan in no time. Besides, despite her optimism and her glee, she was in no place to just freak out when something great happened. No, she was Ritsu Tainaka! She couldn't afford to let her excitement shine out at every little moment...

But really it came down to one thing... she was tired already. The lesson hadn't even begun and she was really tired... something about math just did her in. Besides, if she let her excitement show, it would only expose to the school that something was up and gossip watch should start. And it would let Mio know that this whole operation was far more rehearsed and manipulated than the girl knew. Ritsu was really excited, she wanted to squeal and jump up and down with Tsumugi in celebration, she wanted to pounce on Mio and tell her how happy she was that the plan had worked... but that probably wouldn't sit too well.

Ritsu lowered her voice and leaned towards Tsumugi, looking in to her eyes with a more serious expression. She knew one thing more than any other, some serious thanks were in order. Thankfully, class hadn't started yet. "I uh... I don't really know how to say this, I don't do this stuff to often but..." Ritsu said, taking a deep breath, keeping Tsumugi's excited and confused stare the whole time. "Thank you. Thank you for everything, all the help that you gave me... it pissed me off some times not being able to just be more open with Mio, or having to hold myself back so much... but I think had I not had your help it wouldn't have turned out so well. I don't really know how to repay you."

Tsumugi blinked at her for a second, surprised to be getting thanks so soon, and a bit thrown off by Ritsu's request. The girl didn't offer to pay stuff back too often... and Mugi honestly couldn't think of anything that she wanted. Material wise anyways. Emotionally, she wanted a lot more. "You don't need to repay me Ritsu. It was great! You and Mio are the pay off." She said with a simple smile.

And surprising to her, she actually meant it. It wasn't Ritsu's job to pay her back... it was karma's according to Sawako and to all the old fables. Or maybe it already had paid her back, and she was just making up for something bad she'd done in the past. She would find out sooner or later. "If you don't mind though... would you tell me what she did?"

And that was how they spent most of math class, passing notes between each other in their usual fashion, with Ritsu recapping how stuff happened the night prior, the book, the confession, and the movie. Tsumugi smiled the whole time, nodding, and wrote a few responses. "Good", "Cute", "How sweet!", "That's adorable.", etc. In the end, they were happy with it.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Surprisingly to everyone involved, nothing really happened the rest of the day. Lunch was extremely passive, with Ritsu and Mio deciding to eat somewhere quiet so they could get a little chance to be alone with each other for a few minutes in their day, and Azusa and Yui being entirely disconnected from the room. Tsumugi ate her lunch, and poured tea for them all as she had expected to do before hand. She even let Ritsu and Mio take their cups with them to a quiet classroom.

And for a while, it seemed like everything was settling into its own little groove again. Sawako dropped by at lunch to let Tsumugi know quietly that she was going to be helping make edits to the school play script. Many would expect something devious... but this was Tsumugi. Deviation wasn't something that she had inside of her.

No, it was actually a good thing, because Tsumugi knew how timid Mio was going to be about showing off her and Ritsu being together. So she would cut most of the kisses from the play, all the make out scenes between Romeo and Juliet. No, the votes hadn't even been cast yet for who was playing what role... but Sawako and Tsumugi, along with everyone else in the school, knew Mio and Ritsu would be playing some sort of lead role.

So everything was settling back down, which surprised everyone involved over the last few days. Azusa was amazed at the lack of teasing from her class mates during her second hour, even though she knew they all knew about the kiss. Mio was being as cautious as she could be whenever she decided to raise the intimacy levels with Ritsu for a moment. Holding hands, hugging, they were done in the secrecy and safety of solitude.

Even fourth hour went surprisingly normal. Dissections and excitement were over, and it was time to watch a movie about vaccines. Ritsu went to sleep, as did Yui, and Mio simply watched the movie. No notes were required, so that wasn't why she stayed up. She had intended to do some thinking, but it didn't turn out that way in the end. It boiled down to the fact that she had nothing to think about.

Everything at that point could now be discussed. She turned around in the middle of the movie, to face a bored looking Tsumugi gazing at the screen. She slipped the blonde girl a note, carefully written in her best hand writing moments before.

"Tsumugi,

"Thank you for all the help that you have given me over the past few days. I don't know where I would be without you. I've finally come to terms with how I feel for Ritsu, and I can deal with life from there. I would have been way more of a wreck without you, and your advice helped me through the past few days. If there's anything I can do to repay you, just let me know.

"Sincerely, Mio."

Tsumugi smiled as she read it. Mio was certain it didn't by any means hint that she and Ritsu were together, and thankfully when she got the slip of paper back, all it said on it was, "Don't mention it. Just saying thanks was enough payment for me. Good luck Mio-chan!"

And that was all that happened, amazingly enough. Everything was seemingly back in order, and back in place. At a glance, everything seemed entirely normal.

At least, for everyone in the club. One girl however, became more and more stressed out as the day drew on. Unlike her sister, Ui Hirasawa was a total disaster as the day went on, the idea of her plan getting closer and closer to success. It was in fifth hour that she realized what she was about to do, and almost began to hyperventilate from the excitement of it all. But she had come this far, and although that was basically stealing her sister's hair pins for a day, it was still a good day for this.

She prepared herself as time wore down on the day, the final hours of the school day slipping away before the bell rang. Azusa waited for her, but Ui wasn't stupid. She waved Azusa on and engaged the teacher of the class in a boring, casual conversation. It ended quickly, and Ui made her way to the restrooms.

While she prepared herself, Azusa and Yui met up with giant hugs and Yui kissed the tip of Azusa's nose. "Senpai!" Azusa said in shock, pulling away slightly. She looked at the faces around the room, Ritsu's sly grin, Mugi's awe struck gaze, and Mio's blush. "Not in front of everyone." She said to the older girl. Yui blushed and nodded.

They headed out, just as expected. Mugi didn't bring any cake that day, so there was no reason to stay and sit. Mio and Ritsu left after a few more minutes, packing up and getting ready to head home. They waved their good byes to Tsumugi, and left.

Ui had been watching the whole time, from a safe distance away. Changing her hair to her sister's style didn't take but a few seconds, so it gave her time to find a vantage point. She watched her sister and Azusa go, noticing something missing about her sister's attire or appearance... but not really putting her finger on it. She marked it up to stress. Ritsu and Mio came out next, and as soon as they had left down the stairs, the same way Yui and Azusa had gone, Ui made her move.

Tsumugi had stayed behind to clean and pack up the tea sets, as was usual for the girl. Ui felt herself the luckiest girl in the world as she made her way into the music room, altered hair style and personality. Tsumugi noticed her enter, and gave her an odd expression. "Yui-chan?" She asked calmly, fooled by the simple switch of hair styles as most would be. "Did you forget something?"

"Oh uh... no!" Ui said in a light hearted, yet absent minded tone of voice. Despite her stresses, she knew her sister like the back of her hand, and she could easily switch her identity to match that of her sister's. It was flawless. "I just wanted to ask if you wanted any help putting stuff away." She said, noticing Mugi standing and wiping the tea cups with a small rag. Observation was always a plus.

"Ohh um... sure!" Mugi said with a smile. She rarely got help putting away her tea sets that she brought, and any help was appreciated. "But what about Azusa-chan?"

Ui gulped almost audibly as she strained for an excuse as to why "Yui" would be there. "Ohh uh... well she just... she said she had to hurry home today and her parents were giving her a ride." Ui said quickly, "She has a huge project for her fifth hour due in a little while!"

Or in three weeks... but all the same. Tsumugi accepted it with a shrug and a smile. "Well thanks Yui-chan!" She said, laying out an extra rag. Ui made her way towards the table, focused on helping Tsumugi with this so she could earn that hug. But, she missed one key element of the room, which could make or break her plan... what she had missed seeing on her sister earlier. A certain case.

Cleaning was a short process, only about ten minutes solo, and they made quick work. Ui didn't lose her focus though, and pretended to get distracted a little more often than she normally would have doing dishes. Tsumugi may not have noticed the difference, but Ui was being as careful and focused as possible.

While they cleaned, Ui realized how similar this was to about a year before, when she imitated her sister for the club. But this time, it was a lot better. She even stood a little closer to Tsumugi than she normally might have, but the blonde girl didn't complain in the slightest.

The cleaning process was shorter, but not quite half thanks to Ui not working entirely diligently. Her sister wouldn't have cleaned diligently, and that's what Ui was going for. However, Ui and Tsumugi were so caught up cleaning the dishes they didn't even see two figures making their way back up the stairs, one carrying a guitar case and the other without one.

They put the tea set in its place and Ui, or "Yui" as she was currently going by, smiled at Tsumugi. Tsumugi smiled back warmly, and for the strangest second of her life... Ui was incredibly envious of her sister. Just looking at Tsumugi's perfect face, her blue eyes, her blonde hair, and her figure... Ui envied Yui for getting to be able to see this girl nearly every day. It wasn't fair!

But the feeling faded quickly, leaving them standing and smiling at each other. "Thanks for the help Yui-chan." Tsumugi said after a few seconds. Ui didn't skip a beat, and pulled Tsumugi into a tight hug.

Tsumugi looked down at her for a second, before blushing and smiling warmly. Yes, this was the kind of hug that only a Hirasawa could muster. Only a Yui as far as she knew. "You're welcome." "Yui" cooed as she hugged Tsumugi tightly. "Yui" gently nuzzled her head into Tsumugi's neck. The poor kid couldn't help it, she was there! She had mustered all of her courage and tenacity and made it. She was going to make the best of it.

Tsumugi was in heaven, never had she had a hug from Yui that had taken such a long time. On top of that, she could fell Yui's head pressing against the base of her neck, which made it just that much better. This is what she had needed all day, what she had wanted to ask Ritsu and Mio for more than anything but couldn't because it would have made her feel pathetic. Lonely.

The feelings dissolved in "Yui's" grasp. Tsumugi didn't know better, she hardly ever saw Ui, and to her this was as real as things could get. It was completely perfect, Ui's plan had worked out completely in her favor, and had they not been enjoying the hug so much, they may have noticed footsteps on the landing of the third floor.

Ui was happy with herself, her arms wrapped tightly around Tsumugi, hoping time had frozen for the moment and it would let her enjoy herself and the embrace. Tsumugi hugged back after a few seconds, and the two dissolved in the hug for entirely different reasons. Ui because her plan to impersonate her sister and get a hug from the most beautiful girl in her world had worked, and the embrace was warm and welcoming... and Tsumugi because she always needed more hugs. They were like candy that she never seemed to get enough of, and was too afraid to ask.

Ui smiled inwardly as she realized what a good job she had done, and that there was no harm in the act yet. Then again, she had been so focused on emulating her sister... she may have done too good a job. She failed to notice one thing, the one thing that ruined the entire plan. One failed observation about a case leaning against the wall. Their hug ended abruptly as the door slid open and a head looked in.

"Did I leave Gitah in here?" The slightly concerned voice of Yui said. Not the fake Yui either, the real one... the one both "Yui" and Mugi had failed to notice walking up towards the school with Azusa in tow, worried about loosing her most prized and used possession. Her guitar. The one thing Ui had forgotten to take note of.

That's what Yui had been missing earlier. Azusa had her guitar on her shoulder as she and Yui made their way home... and Ui cursed herself as she realized that that was what was different about Yui's appearance. No guitar case on her back.

Ui looked down at the wall near her feet... and sure enough... there it was. Tsumugi still had a limp grasp around her, and she still had a grasp on Tsumugi as well. She couldn't move, she didn't want time to keep moving. She was hoping it would stop.

Regret hit her. She had been too excited earlier, and she had missed one key fact. Now, that was coming back to bite her in the butt.

Yui stopped about half way into the room and looked at the situation before her. She saw herself, from behind, and Tsumugi looking very confused. She could have sworn she saw smoke coming from the top of Tsumugi's head as the blonde's eyes darted back and forth. From Yui to "Yui". "Uhh..."

Yui looked between the two of them as well, Between Tsumugi and "Yui", who were frozen in a half hearted embrace. She knew only one person who could pull an imitation act that perfectly... but she couldn't believe or find any reason why Ui would do so. "Uhh..." She said eventually, trying to figure it out as well. Azusa popped her head in, looking at the three of them. Tsumugi and "Yui" kind of hugging, and Yui standing in the middle of the room, looking at the other two.

"Uhh..." Was all she could manage as well. "Yui" finally released the light, half-hearted hug she was still engaged in with Tsumugi as stepped back. She didn't really know what else to do, there was no where she could run to in order to escape this nightmare of a plan... so she simply took out the hair pins and placed them on the table. She took the hair tie out of her pocket, and with shaky hands, put her hair back up into a messy pony tail. Who could blame her? She was practically falling apart.

"Ui-chan?" Yui said finally, causing Ui to snap out of her almost catatonic state. She had three sets of very confused eyes on her at that point in time, which made her extremely nervous. How on Earth was she supposed to explain something like this? Caught red-handed impersonating your sister so you might get a chance to get a hug from the person you had not only become obsessed with, but fallen head over heels for?

"Yes Onee-chan..." Ui said finally.

"Why are you here?" Yui asked, not accusingly, but just curiously. Ui hadn't expected her sister to be made; she was more worried about Tsumugi. What would she think of all of this?

"It's... a really long story." Ui said, looking at all three of them, who still had extremely confused expressions on their faces. She thought about asking to leave, but that wouldn't have been very professional, nor would it have been a good solution. Then she would alienate not only the person she had fallen head over heels for, but also she would really weird out her best friend and her older sister. It wasn't a good situation by any means for the poor thing as she sat down in the nearest table she could find, not even knowing where to start.

What worried her most was that despite her not wanting to confess to Tsumugi... there wasn't any other way she could get out of this. She looked up at all three of them, and without a doubt, had their attention. "It all started Monday morning..."

Ui's explanation went on for at least half an hour as she explained everything that she had gone through in her head. No questions were asked, she had the floor. Yui listened intently, Azusa almost sympathized with her on some weird way... and Tsumugi seemed almost completely detached. It worried Ui, any time she looked to Tsumugi for confirmation that she was listening... She got nothing more than a simple nod and a blank expression.

At the very end, Ui was in tears. When she got to the part of her story as to why she wanted that hug so badly... she felt pathetic and creepy. She felt like a stalker, and in a way, she was. It hurt her to even think of that word tying in with her, but that may very well be her new title in school.

Tsumugi listened the entire time, not even questioning, not speaking up, and not asking any questions. She was in disbelief at the situation; she hadn't even come to terms with all of what had happened. All she knew was that stuff had in fact happened. It was difficult for her to grasp it entirely, but she listened to Ui's story in full. She didn't feel bad about being thought of so much... in fact, she had probably been through a phase like that with the members of Keion. On more than one occasion even.

She sympathized with Ui entirely as the girl told her story, recapped the events in her world over the last few days. As the speech came to a close, Tsumugi looked at Ui with a confused, almost dazed expression. Ui spoke. "I'm really sorry I tricked you... I just... it seemed like it would work. It felt amazing... as amazing as I thought it would." She said, sniffling every couple of words. "I knew I wouldn't be able to just tell you... even if I had to... but there you go. I'm really sorry again."

Yui and Azusa were thoroughly wracked with emotion, mostly confusion and guilt. Guilt came first, neither of them realized how badly they were hurting the poor girl... even if it had only been two days since their relationship "started", and Ui didn't find out until the night prior... they still felt bad. A lot of damage can be done in a short time. Ui told in her story how distant she felt, and how scared she was, which hit the two of them right in the heart.

Tsumugi however, instead of saying anything simply smiled at the end of Ui's confession and explanation. Words couldn't explain how she felt at that time. Imagine what a catatonic person feels when they feel utter relief and happiness. They don't feel anything, but they really do. It just can't be explained. She looked over at Ui, feeling that way since the start of her speech. Finally, one emotion really broke through for her and shattered the haze of nothingness. "You... you really like me?"

Ui looked at Tsumugi, who had a shocked, yet slightly hopeful expression on her face. She nodded. Tsumugi's look of shock slowly but surely turned into the most vibrant and hopeful smile that she had ever had. Heck, it even beat the smile she had as a seven year old girl when her dad gave her a pony. Ui looked at her smile, a bit confused herself, before she felt the strong embrace of the girl around her.

Tsumugi felt happiness like she had never felt before break through the shock, and before she knew it, she had her arms around Ui once again, and the chair Ui was sitting in. "Ui-chan!" She almost screamed as she hugged the girl, pulling her into the tightest hug she possibly could without hurting herself.

Now, Yui and Azusa became confused by that as well... but it didn't take long for them to piece things together. With just a little thought, everyone could plainly see that Tsumugi needed a girlfriend. Not even that necessarily, but attention that butlers and maids could never give her. Their looks of guilt and confusion slowly turned into smiles as they watched Ui melt into Tsumugi's hug.

Karma had pulled through. Not for just Tsumugi, but for Ui as well. Tsumugi wasn't upset one bit that she had been tricked, and although Ui was a bit upset that she had resorted to lying to get what she wanted... sometimes drastic situations call for drastic measures. It all worked out for Ui, and for Tsumugi.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

The plan worked out just as I imagined it would... and it seems oddly perfect to me. The title made a little more sense here, since Ui helped Azusa and Yui in a cryptic way, and Tsumugi helped Mio and Ritsu, they were really the "nice girls" of the story. Not that all the others aren't awesome, but Ui and Tsumugi helped more than any other. I hope that makes sense.

In my mind, Ui and Tsumugi are perfect for each other. Both are cute, mature in some ways yet naïve in others, and they both love getting hugs and other physical affections.

I hope you are still enjoying my words, and yes, the end is in sight. Doesn't mean I still don't want reviews though! If you get a chance, reviews are welcomed and appreciated.

Thanks to everyone who has made it this whole way with me! More next week!


	24. Chapter 24

The excitement both ended and continued from there, adding to the simple complexity of the entire day. However, even Azusa and Yui were put to shame by how comfortable Tsumugi and Ui became almost immediately. They finished packing up the music room, with Ui waiting on the outside of the room... still in a sort of shock at how her plan had failed and succeeded. It was an entire afternoon filled with paradoxes from then on out.

Mugi worked quickest of all to get everything put together perfectly. She was still in disbelief at the humble way karma had slipped in and made a pretty bad, lonely day into perhaps one of the best she had ever experience. It was a different experience for her, but she did know one thing for sure... and that was that finally... FINALLY karma had given her someone who could return her feelings of affection and love. Finally, she had someone that she could call a girlfriend, and that was a huge ordeal for her.

And the fact that it was Ui was simply remarkable to her. Ui Hirasawa... Tsumugi recalled the shock and awe the first time they went as a club to help Yui study... Ui blew them all almost completely out of the water with her professionalism and her responsibility. Not only that... but she was as cute as a button. Tsumugi wasn't just taking what the world was giving her... no; she was humbly accepting some what of a gift. She had almost completely forgotten about Ui, when two years before, she would have been thrilled to spend time with the girl.

Tsumugi felt it was a little weird at how it worked out, but she didn't complain. Two years ago, Ui fascinated her, amazed her, and blew her out of the water. Now, the girl had done the exact same thing. Tsumugi felt a little bad about neglecting the girl simply because she didn't think about Ui enough before hand, as much as Ui had thought about her.

Once everything in the club room was perfect, Tsumugi, Yui, and Azusa made their way into the hall way. Despite how excited Tsumugi was to get back to Ui and get to really know the girl as a person... she was a perfectionist. She didn't leave the club room in any class of a mess; she left it exactly as they had found it their freshman year. Clean, with the exception of some clutter accumulated, but even that was pushed off to the side.

Ui had waited in the hall for them to finish with their cleaning, since she honestly didn't know where anything would go. And besides that, it would have been a little odd cleaning with Tsumugi in there... they would have to act like the past thirty minutes didn't even happen until the job was done. So instead, she chose to wait impatiently in the hall.

But the moment everything was clean, Tsumugi nearly darted out to meet Ui. She was excited, and she had every right to be. This was a whole new world to her, because although she had seen stuff like this in movies, romance was completely new to her. And unlike Ritsu, she could show her excitement. She shot out into the hall and looked immediately at Ui.

Yui and Azusa didn't waste a beat, wanting to get back to their walk... though neither girl really knew what to expect any more. The school was almost entirely empty, and as they walked in the hall, they got way more comfortable. Ui and Tsumugi had rejoined their hug right where it had started off. Ui couldn't believe her luck as Tsumugi pulled her into a tight embrace, and tucked her head into the girl's neck.

Tsumugi was as close to heaven as she had ever been. Ui was just about the same height as her, so she could easily find plenty of room to fit in hugs. The girl was just a tad shorter, but Tsumugi could deal with that. She didn't even take notice that Ui was nearly a year younger than her, it honestly seemed completely unimportant.

They were as cozy as they could be in the hall way, attached to each other for the time being. Azusa looked at them, and after a moment of thinking, slipped her arm around Yui's waist. Yui looked a bit confused by the gesture at first, but when she looked down at Azusa and was greeted by two copper eyes and a warm smile, she couldn't help but oblige. Heck, she obliged full force as she wrapped her arm around Azusa's shoulder. She was a bit confused as to why Azusa barely wanted to hold hands when they left the first time, but it didn't take long to figure out.

Just looking at Ui and Mugi... Azusa's thought process was incredibly easy to follow. They, unlike Azusa, had no concern over who saw them together. It wasn't a matter of showing off, it was a matter of them finally being in a relationship. Something they both deserved to be in. Although Tsumugi had been thinking about it for way longer... Ui needed it almost just as badly.

So, if they were practically attached in the hall way without any care of who saw them... why should Azusa and Yui? They had already been seen kissing, and the school was buzzing with gossip about the two of them... why couldn't they act like a couple?

So Azusa and Yui settled into their comfort zones, holding each other close as they got ready to leave. Tsumugi and Ui finally broke free of their hug, both of them looking like they were on top of the world. They looked towards Azusa and Yui, both love struck and head over heels for each other. But they both still had some level of professionalism to them, and didn't want to over do it. They locked their fingers together, with smiles on their face and misty eyes.

"Well... are we ready to go home?" Yui asked after a second, watching the two of them. They nodded simultaneously, and began making their way towards the stairs. Tsumugi was surprised that she felt a bit light headed, but her right arm was frozen in place by heavenly warmth. Ui's left hand felt the exact same way, with their palms exchanging the warmth of their bodies in between. Tsumugi definitely wasn't used to holding hands, and it was going to take some getting used to. She hadn't held hands with anyone for years, not since she was a little kid crossing the street.

She had no complaints. She was a bit awkward going down the stairs, but Ui flawlessly accommodated to the other girl being slightly off balance, all the while holding her hand. Tsumugi was light headed the entire time. Maybe it was jubilance... maybe it was hyper or hypoventilation. She couldn't honestly remember breathing the entire time she was hugging or hold hands with Ui. She took a deep breath just to be safe.

Azusa and Yui watched from behind, making it down the stairs in a much smoother and safer fashion. They smiled slightly at the scene before them, though they were still completely confused at how quickly things had moved. Yui was jealous, she had been working on Azusa for almost a year and a half... and Azusa was amazed that Ui hadn't told her about any of this. Sure, during her recap Ui had admitted that her crush had only lasted for about two days, but still! These are things you tell best friends!

But then again... she hadn't told anyone about her affections for Yui before they had solidified themselves as a couple. So, she couldn't really blame Ui, but she really wished she had shared. Azusa could have made this whole operation a heck of a lot smoother, without having to trick the person of her desires to get a simple hug.

But then again... would changing anything make any difference at all? Azusa watched the two walk through the school floor hall, and she saw no complaint from Mugi at all. The girl had regained her balance, but she was walking literally right next to Ui with their fingers still locked together. Hurt or betrayed were not words that came to Azusa when she looked at Mugi. Euphoria was.

So things had fallen in their place they way they deserved to. There was nothing wrong with it, despite the methods used to bring it fruition. Ui would never have believed someone if they told her she would disguise herself as her sister simply so she could get a hug from a girl she was practically in love with. But... love does strange things to people.

Mugi made sure to make a pass by the teacher's lounge on their way out of the school, her and Ui still leading a good distance in front of Azusa and Yui. The two girls behind them were still trying to comprehend what had just happened in front of them, what had unfolded to them seemingly right before their eyes. But Tsumugi wasn't worried about them.

As they approached the teacher's lounge door, Tsumugi slowed her and Ui's pace. She cared about one person seeing them holding hands more than any other; it wasn't like she was proving anyone wrong. No, she was proving someone right. They walked slowly, with Tsumugi looking at the inside of the door, and just as she was worried she wouldn't see her sensei... she found her. She was sitting near the back of the room, but she still managed to catch her gaze. Sawako looked at her for a second, confused as to why Ui was walking so close, but then she saw their hands.

She smiled and shrugged, her body language telling Tsumugi, "See? Didn't I tell you things would work out?" Tsumugi nodded in response. Sawako watched them pick up their pace and leave, but even she was a bit amazed. She would definitely have to ask about how that happened later on. When it came to her life, it always took a while before karma made it up to her... Tsumugi hadn't even waited a whole entire week. Even she was a bit envious, especially since she knew first hand what a catch Ui was. Smart, funny, cute, and not to mention her slightly superior cup size in comparison to her sister...

If some guy like that came along, Sawako would have been in heaven... aside from the cup size part. But, above it all, she felt good for the blue eyed beauty. Not a week ago, the poor thing was collapsed in her arms crying out years of built up emotional stress. Now, she was as happy as she had ever seen her.

They walked out the front door of the now almost entirely vacant school. Azusa and Yui caught up slightly, walking a bit quicker to keep the pace of the girls. They both had a feeling that Tsumugi and Ui had completely forgotten that they were behind them... they were obviously completely wrapped up in each other. Yui could tell just by the way her sister was walking that she was in remarkably high spirits... spirits that she hadn't seen from her sister for quite some time.

When she thought about it a little bit, it was easy enough to imagine why though. And when Yui thought about it a little more... this would be way more convenient for her and Azusa. It was definitely a perk. Not that she didn't love her sister to death and wouldn't do nearly anything for the girl... but now if Azusa wanted to do something, she wouldn't have to worry about leaving Ui at home alone, bored to tears. It was actually a perk, plus the fact that when she thought about it... Ui and Tsumugi fit each other like a glove.

She could tell by the way they held hands, and walked so close to each other they could probably kiss if they wanted to. Both girls loved hugs, and loved affection from any source they could get it, but their situations didn't allow it in many cases. Ui was home alone most of the time, and Tsumugi simply didn't get the same level of contact. Yui couldn't explain why... but she was sure that everyone had their reasons.

Before long, Azusa had to part, but promised to call Yui later so they could talk. She cursed herself for living so close to the school, but she still managed to get a kiss from Yui before parting. Their kisses were getting better, now that both of them had had more practice. Before they parted that day, hugging each other close and their lips pressed against each other, Azusa pulled the most daring move yet and slipped her tongue across her own lips, across Yui's, and the two kissed for even a little longer than usual. It felt a little strange to Azusa, it was an extremely new experience to her, but she had no complaint. That was obviously where practice was necessary, but they would get that in time.

Yui was happy with the kiss, and was pleased when Azusa said she would call later on. Who knows, with her sister and one of her closest friends being a couple, maybe they could work out some sort of double date together. It was all variable of course, she knew Tsumugi lived a fair way away, but perhaps in the future they could keep the option open. Yui had seen them on TV, and they were always a lot of fun.

Tsumugi quickly became down trodden as they reached the spot where she had to part from the group. She knew she would be riding the limo today, though she had a strong urge to bring Ui home with her. But that would never have worked, no one in her house knew of her sexuality, and she never brought home friends. Not to mention she wouldn't be able to keep her hands off of the girl... she had faith in that. She knew her limitations, and stopping herself from hugging or holding hands with Ui if the girl was at the dinner table or sitting on the couch next to her... she knew it wasn't in her skill set.

They hugged, tightly, just as they had in the hallway. Mugi got misty eyes once more as she realized she would have to live the night without the girl... but she would have to truck on through it. She tucked her head in the crook of Ui's neck, and stayed there for a second, breathing in the sweet smell of the girl's perfume. Yui waited for them patiently, they couldn't make her jealous. After all, she had just experienced the semi-taboo "French kiss", and very few PG-13 things could top that.

At the end, Tsumugi felt a bit of adrenaline kick in, which gave her the burst of courage she needed. She pecked the base of Ui's neck with her lips, softly holding the kiss for a second or two, before pulling away. "I'll see you at school tomorrow! Be early!" Tsumugi said with a bright smile on her face. Ui copied the smile and nodded excitedly.

Tsumugi parted slowly, walking around the corner and hoping in her limo. They drove off... but she had news for Ritsu, and she was still on cloud nine. She waited impatiently as they drove off towards her home.

Ui met up with her sister, smiling a little awkwardly. Yui smiled back at her. There had been little conversation on that walk home, most of it was all body language, and between Ui and Mugi... that was the best there was at that point in time. But, now that they had parted ways, Ui felt a little bad about betraying her sister's image to get a hug. She hugged her sister as they walked, tightly. "I'm sorry Onee-chan..." She said in the hug, her face turned away from Yui.

"Why Ui-chan?" Yui asked, looking down at the girl.

"I took your hair pins... and your identity... without permission..." Ui said, looking into her sister's eyes, feeling a pang of disappointment in herself. "I should have asked you first... or done something else. I'm really sorry."

"Ui..." Yui said with a warm and almost wise smile on her face. "Remember what I told you when we were younger? I think you were... four? Maybe 5..."

Ui looked at her sister with a slightly withdrawn expression. It never ceased to amaze her at what her sister's memory held on to. No, of course she didn't remember something Yui had told her when she was five years old... she was only five years old! "No... I don't think I do..."

Yui smiled and nodded. "I remember it." She said plainly. "I was lying in my bed, trying to fall asleep, when you came in. You didn't think I heard you... because you were sneaking around as quiet as you could be. I think you had a bad dream or something, because you came over to the side of my bed, and reached out to get a big stuffed animal. I sat up to see what you were doing, and you jumped back and started to cry. You said you wanted to borrow my bear... or seal I can't remember, but you didn't want to wake me up. Then, I told you, 'Ui-tan, you never have to ask to take something from me. As long as you bring it back, we can share it.'"

Ui listened to the story, honestly not recalling even a little bit of it. She did remember the stuffed animal though, a white polar bear her sister had gotten for her fifth birthday that she always wanted. It was one of the few memories she had of being that young. She didn't remember what Yui had told her at all. She took out the hair pins and handed them to Yui. "Thanks Ui!" The older girl chimed in as they were placed in her hand.

Ui nodded and smiled. "No, thank you Onee-chan." She said with a smile. "Had you not come back... today wouldn't have been nearly as good."

Yui smiled and patted her little sister's head; it was one of the rare occasions she shined through as the bigger sibling. "Of course."

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Ritsu and Mio had decided to not waste their time on getting a quick snack at a café or anything, mostly because both girls were entirely broke. Literally without a dime in their pockets, they decided to just hang out together for the afternoon, as both friends and as a couple. It was difficult telling the difference between the two of them, Mio and Ritsu found themselves doing a lot of the things they used to do as nothing more than best friends, until of course their arms wrapped around each other and their lips brushed against each other.

They chose to hang out in Mio's room, since the door had a lock and there wouldn't be any unexpected interruptions from parents. They settled back on Mio's bed. Ritsu sat down first, and Mio sat down between her legs, leaning her back into the girl. In the past, the position would have been very awkward, and they would have tired of it quickly, but this wasn't the past. Instead of becoming quickly uncomfortable, Ritsu wrapped her arms around Mio's neck and let them hang down. She look a deep whiff of Mio's hair, smelling the girl's shampoo and condition.

But that wasn't exactly what she was doing. No, she was simply becoming comfortable with her girlfriend, enjoying the perks of getting to be where she was, where she wanted to be for what seemed like forever but had never had the ability to make it here. She felt bad she hadn't given something more to Tsumugi for her efforts and her work.

But the feeling passed as the girls looked around the room. Ritsu felt Mio's heart beat through her back, and could tell she was about to say something. Mio turned her head so she could face Ritsu a little more directly, but she was comfy where she was, and she wasn't going to lift herself more. "Ritsu...?" Mio questioned, making sure the girl hadn't fallen asleep on her.

"Yes Mio?" She asked, looking down at the girl. It was an awkward angle to view Mio's face at, but she wasn't going to move either, she loved this position they had discovered. Slightly more intimate than just normal sitting down and putting your arms around each other, but it was way more comfortable. WAY more comfortable.

Mio took a deep breath and frowned. "I don't know how we're going to tell everyone about this..." She said simply. "They have to know... especially the members of the club. And of course... our parents..."

Ritsu frowned a little and nodded. "I know what you mean..." She said, but she wasn't worried at all, at least not about the club part. "Do you think anyone knows?"

Mio shook a little nodding her head. Ritsu smirked slightly, glad to be out of the girl's line of sight. "Nodoka knows..." Mio said, taking a deep, shaky breath. That caught Ritsu slightly of course, she was expecting her to say Tsumugi... but no. "She asked earlier if it was a secret."

"What did you tell her?" Ritsu asked, reeling from the fact that Nodoka knew. As far as she knew, Nodoka hadn't been involved at all with this whole operation, so how would she be able to know? Mio hadn't told Ritsu that she shared her little crush and her feelings with Nodoka at the start of this whole thing, but Mio wasn't really worried.

"I said yes, and she nodded." Mio said, causing Ritsu to breathe a sigh of relief. She didn't know Nodoka like Mio did... and as the student council president the girl had to be pretty popular to talk to. Not to mention the last student body president...

Absent mindedly, Ritsu added, "Well you don't need to worry about the club. Tsumugi knows already." She said, causing Mio to stiffen up slightly. "In fact... she kinda helped this whole thing along. She's known since summer break."

Mio looked up at Ritsu with a strange expression, though it was skewed by the angle of her head looking behind her at Ritsu. "Wait... since summer break?" Ritsu nodded, "How long... how long have you... well... had a crush on me for?" She asked, a deep blush reddening her face at the mention of a crush. It still felt odd to think that her best friend could have a crush on her.

"Ohh... I think the beginning of this year. Why? How long have you had a crush on me?" Ritsu asked, raising an eye brow. Mio looked straight forward, taking a deep breath and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Since Thursday..." Mio said plainly, looking straight down at her skirt. She felt Ritsu's body behind her moving slightly, it felt pretty odd to her, almost like the girl was convulsing. She looked back urgently to see if Ritsu was ok... and of course, she was. The strange body motions were laughter that she was trying, and failing, to hold back.

"Five days? You made it six days before you had to confess to me!" Ritsu asked, chuckling slightly. "You're such a girl Mio! I went for months and you couldn't even make a full week!" A sharp smack ended Ritsu's taunting, but didn't end the laughter. Mio blushed and looked at her, rolling her eyes at Ritsu and taking a few deep breaths to suppress the blush on her face.

"Shut up..." Mio said, backing away from Ritsu and sitting cross legged on the other side of the bed, looking at Ritsu laying on her side and laughing. Eventually, Ritsu composed herself, and took the same position. Then Mio realized that she had a question to ask. "Wait... what do you mean Tsumugi knew?"

Ritsu shrugged and put her hands behind her head. "Well, I had to tell somebody. Usually I tell you all my secrets, but obviously I couldn't just share this with you and expect you to keep it a secret from yourself. So the one day I asked you to hang out and you couldn't, I asked Mugi-chan to hang out for the day. A couple days later, I ended up texting her and telling that I liked you." Ritsu said, herself even blushing a little bit. "I thought she was just gonna gush and be all... 'Mugi-like'... but she ended up asking if I was going to go anywhere with it, what I was going to do... that kinda stuff. I ended up asking her to help me."

Mio looked at her with a quizzical stare. "What did you need her help with? I mean, she helped me to on the weekend when I was struggling after getting off of our... date. "She blushed, "But why would you need her help?"

Ritsu smiled at her and chuckled a little bit. "Well Mio-chan... you're a lot more confusing than you think you are. You know that my mind doesn't quite work like yours does, I'm much more straight forward. I thought about just telling you... but honestly, if I had confessed to you last Thursday morning or at the beginning of the school year even... I don't think we would be in the same place as we are now." She said, leaning back against the head board, "She has the same kind of mind as you do, so I knew she would be able to hold with whatever. She really did to, all the subtle stuff I would never have thought of she helped me come up with. She had creative ideas and stuff, and although it was mostly on me, she really helped out."

Mio listened the whole time and nodded a little bit. It was true, at the beginning of the year, she wasn't sure how she would have reacted or if they would have ended up kissing. Ritsu shrugged. "So she definitely knows. I almost forgot to tell her, I got so caught up in us, but I thanked her."

The raven haired girl nodded, "I thanked her too. She really helped me realize that I was actually feeling... you know... love..." She said with a blush. Ritsu crawled across the bed and hugged Mio, giggling slightly.

"You're so cute when you're embarrassed... and you wonder why we torment you so much." Mio blushed again, though Ritsu couldn't see it as she was still hugging.

"Shut up..." She said with a little bit of a giggle. Ritsu released the hug and kneeled back on her calves, looking at Mio.

"So then it's just Azusa and Yui we have to tell... and honestly, I don't think they are going to be too broken up about it. Then our parents... but we're what, a day into our relationship? That's something we can deal with later on. Right now, let's just worry about the major stuff ok?" Ritsu asked, earning a slight nod from Mio. However, not a second later, both girls' phones buzzed on the night stand. It was from Tsumugi, inviting them to her café.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Mostly just a chapter filled with all sorts of fluff between the couples. Cute, sort of progressive for Tsumugi and Ui, and of course... progressive for the way Azusa and Yui kiss.

I hope you enjoyed the fluff in this chapter. If you get a chance, leave a review. They are always appreciated, and if I haven't thanked you for the reviews you've left, thank you now.

Sorry if I couldn't respond to any of your reviews last week, they weren't being displayed for some reason, so if I missed them I apologize.

More next week!


	25. Chapter 25

Tsumugi had formed a deductive and brilliant plan. As soon as she got in her house, she realized she couldn't go through the night without seeing Ui one more time, and without any pictures of the girl, there was no way to do so. Then again... she still had to officially congratulate Ritsu on her accomplishments with Mio, and so she would use her skills one last time to get Mio and Ritsu to come out to everyone in the club as a couple, even though it would just be to Azusa and Yui.

And of course, it was her chance to not only see Ui again, but also introduce them as a couple, which she was perfectly fine in doing. She had no nervousness about doing that, who was going to disapprove of that? Mio and Ritsu were gay, so were Azusa and Yui... if they refused to accept Tsumugi and Ui being together, she would have to rethink her entire world.

So, she sent out a mass text message to the four other girls involved, inviting them all for a nice dinner, tea, and dessert at her café. She didn't have Ui's text message, so she sent a follow up text to Yui telling her to bring her sister. Her maids and butlers didn't question why she was reserving all the tables on the restaurant to just the six of them... but then again, it was a Wednesday. No one really came in past five on a Wednesday anyways, so she understood completely. The boss's daughter sort of had that in her rights... being the boss's daughter and all. Heck, not even the boss's daughter... the owner's daughter.

So, the restaurant closed down in order to make sure it was just Tsumugi and her friends at the large table in the middle. They were told in advance that they were supposed to set up all varieties of cakes for everyone to enjoy while they discussed the past few days and the necessary announcements were made. Tsumugi lived furthest away from all of them, but her back-up driver would gladly take her into town. His job depended on it. Everything was set in place, so everything would be perfect for the girls.

Tsumugi was thrilled, every single person said they would, and Yui promised that Ui would be there as well. The blue eyed girl reminded herself to get Ui's cell phone number as soon as she possibly could, she really needed it if she was going to be in a couple with the girl. Everyone was actually relieved and happy to be getting out of their houses and into the public eye, even if it was just dinner. Then again, the café Tsumugi was treating everyone at would normally have cost a fortune for the entire group to eat at, so it was not only something to do, but also a real treat for them. It wasn't every day that most of them got to eat in luxury.

The staff knew better than question why Tsumugi had called this meaning. She avoided the subject, and that usually meant it involved her friends on a more intimate level than they were to pester the girl about. Not only that, but she seemed slightly out of it, for a reason none of them could guess but only assume. They let it be, and she seemed to be excited enough about this that her father would excuse it.

She was still daddy's little girl of course, and he made sure she was in check. Usually, she gave far more notice for something like this, but she didn't really think of this until the last minute. They were meeting at five thirty, and it was about four, so the staff had plenty of time to get the customers out and shut the place down, marking it off as a "private event". Since this kind of thing was once in a blue moon, no one badgered her about the late notice.

But she wasn't going to be careless about this; she knew there was still a lot to be done. She didn't dress up in anything aside from some more casual clothing, since they would have the restaurant all to themselves. She packed a slightly dressier set of clothing though, in case others decided that the occasion called for it. They all knew the café, it was a pretty ritzy joint in their town and it was widely known.

Tsumugi headed out at around five o'clock, but she wasn't a stupid girl, she knew she still had some work to do. As the limo pulled out of her massive driveway, she pulled out her cell phone and texted Ritsu. "You're telling everyone tonight ok? I have something to tell everyone as well."

Ritsu and Mio walked the short distance to down town, and to the café. It wasn't going to be difficult making it on time. She got the text message while she was changing into something more casual. She thanked the initiative she had to leave some of her clothes here in case of emergency sleep overs. She quickly changed into something more casual than a school uniform. She texted back to Tsumugi, "Alright, I think Mio is ok with that. It's just Azusa and Yui."

Mugi replied a few seconds later. "And Ui. Is that ok?"

Ritsu looked at the text message... she couldn't figure out why at first Ui was going to be there, but it hit her like a stack of bricks in little more than a second. Sure, Ui was going to be there and Tsumugi had something to tell everyone. Ritsu wondered what it might be, sarcastically, in her mind. "That's fine." She texted back, before continuing to dress.

Azusa and Yui were the only ones not entirely sure why they were going to this dinner, aside from the fact that it was just a dinner. Ui had an idea of why, and she was a bit nervous about it... but she was sure it would be ok with Tsumugi there. She didn't know Ritsu or Mio very well, other than the fact that Ritsu wasn't very good at video games, and Mio was extremely huggable.

She wondered why Yui often didn't mention Tsumugi... she was extremely huggable as well, and as adorable as she could be. Blonde hair was something you didn't see too often in Japan, unless it was dyed, but Ui thought that looked terrible on most people. Blue eyes... naturally they were next to unheard of in Japan, unless someone foreign was in charge. And of course, Tsumugi was.

She had all sorts of questions for the girl, like where her family was originally from and what languages the girl could speak. Honestly, Ui felt like she had found one of those celebrities in American or European gossip magazines. Naturally blonde hair and naturally blue eyes... Ui felt blessed to have someone so beautiful and foreign as a girlfriend.

She made she her make-up and her hair was perfect, knowing Tsumugi was going to be there, she wanted to look as good as she possibly could. Thankfully, she knew how to do hair and make up very well, perfectionism was in her blood as well. Maybe it skipped Yui and went straight to her.

Her and her sister left eagerly, with her wanting to see Tsumugi again and Yui wanting to get to not only see Azusa, but get to eat that restaurant's foods. She had had the cakes and tea... but what about the food the place served? It was sure to be something special. Ui walked slightly slower than Yui, knowing what was coming in the bottom of her heart. She was never good at confessing stuff, but something inside her told her that that was what tonight was mostly for.

Then again, it was kind of like a bragging right. Tsumugi was beautiful, and Ui was proud to call her her girlfriend. And of course, she would get to see the girl she had fallen for completely there, still amazed that her trickery had lead to a relationship with the almost angelic girl. Yui and Ui made it there first, both sharing in eagerness.

Ritsu and Mio walked and chatted. Whenever they were alone in the neighborhood streets or in the small side streets, they would hold hands. Mio and Ritsu were both afraid of the former's fan club finding out. Mio was afraid of the gossip, and Ritsu was afraid of some sort of retaliation from them. Girls could be scary when they were in a bad mood, and finding out their precious eye candy was off the market was probably sure to set some of them off. Neither of them knew that Nodoka was, of course, the president of the fan club... but she wasn't there voluntarily, and she had promised to keep the secret.

They arrived second outside of the restaurant, actually kissing each other before they turned the corner to head to the front of the restaurant. Mio had fond memories of this place, ones wracked with stress and confusion. The first was dressing up in the maid's outfit she hated so much and serving the various customers that came in the door to get something to drink. That was one of the worst days of her life, and contrary to what Tsumugi had said it did nothing to build her confidence.

And of course, the second time she had been in here had been just last Sunday, one of the most stressful days of her life. The day she had to confront the person she cared for like no one else in the world, and realize that her caring was not only platonic. The first time she had initiated a hug with Ritsu in who knows how long. She was curious as to what stress the place might hold this time.

"We're telling them tonight." Ritsu whispered in Mio's ear, pointing to Yui and Ui, "Azusa too. Don't worry though, I'll take care of it all. We won't do it like Yui did with Azusa, we'll be super professional about it."

Mio turned to Ritsu, with a shocked, hurt expression. She shook her head, softly saying, "No" over and over again. Who could blame her? She should have known something was up when Tsumugi invited her to this café... this place never meant anything calm and easy for her! It was always some task for her, some stressful and mentally tasking task. Ritsu simply looked at her and nodded over and over again.

Mio's resolve crumbled and she hung her head down. She looked for an excuse to leave, but Ritsu gently rubbed her back to comfort her. She took a couple deep breaths and waited... she didn't care if this was an essential part of being a couple, especially a lesbian one... she wanted to postpone this for as long as possible. After all, it had only been what... two hours since they discussed this?

Yui and Ui were too busy to pay attention to Mio and Ritsu. Yui was looking around excitedly, waiting for Azusa to show up. She ended up taking the bus and being dropped off across the street. Yui almost killed herself in traffic running over to see the girl, the only saving grace being her sister. Ui barely stopped her from running into the road, shaking free of her thoughts of what was about to happen in that restaurant.

Azusa quickly made her way over, and Yui pulled her into a hug on the park bench. Ui moved over to give the two a little bit of room, waiting patiently for her significant other to arrive. Azusa and Yui were cozy, making Ui and the girls on the other side of the door jealous. They wanted to be able to be that cozy with each other in front of whoever they wanted, and it actually gave both Mio and Ui the desire to keep up and confess what had happened.

Ui was actually just jealous that Azusa had showed up before her, but she assumed Tsumugi wanted to stay professional until the official confession was made. Even if everyone there aside from Mio already had a pretty good idea why Ui was there to begin with.

Tsumugi finally showed up, nearly past five thirty, and the doors opened for them all like magic. The shades inside of the restaurant had been instructed to be pulled down, in order to keep everything a secret. Tsumugi didn't mean for this to be a confession to the entirety of the world, she wanted it to simply be friends letting each other know what was happening in their life.

As they walked in, Mio stuck close to Ritsu, Azusa and Yui held hands, and Ui walked over to walk next to her date. She was still in shock and awe that she had ended up with Tsumugi in a relationship. There was no squabble or question about it; it was as official as it could be to the both of them. They didn't need silly phrases or even a kiss on the lips to prove it. They just knew.

They all sat at the table in the very center of the restaurant, sitting next to those who they knew best. Tsumugi sat next to Ui, Azusa next to Yui, and Ritsu next to Mio. It was a perfect circle of friends, and above the table that is what everyone saw. Under the table cloth that had been set out for the group, it was a different story. Ui and Tsumugi had turned their legs to face each other, Azusa and Yui had locked their ankles around each other, and Mio and Ritsu were holding hands.

Ui looked at Tsumugi, and Tsumugi leaned in to tell her what she already knew, they would be telling everyone that they were a couple. That was as easy as it got. But first of course, they would be killing time and letting everyone get situated in the calm atmosphere. The lights dimmed, making the entire restaurant look like it did when Mio and Ritsu had been in the corner of the establishment. Everyone seemed pleased with the dimmer lighting, especially Mio. Just like performing in front of the entire school, it was easier when it was harder to see everyone's face.

The waitress came to take everyone's orders, and it was easy enough considering that the meal was ordered in three different courses. Thankfully, everyone at the table seemed hungry enough to where Tsumugi was confident no one would get up and leave due to lack of time or having to do something else more important. It was important to let people know about stuff. She was going to tell everyone about her being a lesbian... but by the time she was going to get around to it, everyone already knew. It was one confession that she had missed entirely.

For some reason, they were important to her. She couldn't put her finger on it, maybe after a life of living with a corporate owner as a father and a co-corporate owner as a mother, professionalism as simply her approach to everything. She didn't regret it, even though it wasn't the most exciting life.

She was treating this very much like her father might; bringing everyone important involved into a room, feeding them all a nice dinner cost free, and some time during the meal make the announcement. But, this wasn't some merger announcement or corporate takeover her father was used to doing... this was far more safe and secure.

Everyone ordered their various teas, and a small appetizer before the meal began. None of them were used to such fancy eating; it was difficult to choose something. They all settled on some class of sushi. Ui and Mio however, they didn't order an appetizer. Ui wasn't that hungry, she was nervous as all get out. She didn't know why either, she didn't care who knew, and knew that at least three other people at the table already did. Maybe it was just because confessions and coming out to everyone was a difficult thing for her. She looked towards Tsumugi, a little nervous, but the blonde's expression was reassuring at the very least. Ui could tell she knew what she was doing.

Mio however, she had good reason to be nervous. She squeezed Ritsu's hand tightly under the table cloth, grinding her teeth a little out of habit. She wasn't that nervous about Azusa and Yui finding out, and apparently Mugi already knew about her and Ritsu... but it wasn't nearly as comforting as she thought it might be. Ui being there made it a bit harder to take this all normally. She didn't know Ui that well, and she didn't know what the girl might say or what rumors she might spread.

The one thing she found solace in was Ritsu's grip on her hand, and despite how hard Mio squeezed, Ritsu held on tight as if everything was normal. That was something she hadn't had last time. The whole idea of "confessing" was something that didn't sit well with her... but with Ritsu there she felt twice as confident. At least now, no matter what happened, Ritsu would be there with her.

But, in order to keep it from getting too awkward, Tsumugi started a conversation. A business tactic her father had taught her through years of listening to him and her mother talk about work in the study. "So Azusa-chan..." She began, directing conversation away from the two most worried girls in order to let them hype themselves up and get ready. Also to draw suspicion away from the two of them... though everyone pretty much knew what was coming from her and Ui. "Is the second year class doing anything special for the school festival?"

Azusa wasn't distracted at all; she was almost absorbed in Yui, but was still kind enough to talk with the rest of the group. She looked at Tsumugi, and shrugged, "They haven't told us anything yet. I'm not worried though, I'll still get to perform with you guys!" She said with a smile, one that Tsumugi returned full force.

Ritsu saw what Tsumugi was doing, and joined in the conversation as well. Hopefully enough normal conversation would help Mio see that these people were her friends. They still were and they would always be, no matter who she dated. "Aren't you a little sad though Azusa?" Ritsu asked with a teasing inflection.

"Why would I be sad?" She asked, looked at Ritsu and then at Yui. Yui just shrugged, she didn't know why Azusa would be sad either.

"Well... it's the last time you ever get to perform with us of course!" Ritsu said, feigning sadness as best she could. Azusa simply rolled her eyes, ignoring the nervous feeling in her stomach at the thought of what next year would be like.

Yui must have been thinking of the same thing, because she wrapped Azusa into a tight hug, mimicking her thoughts. She didn't want to be without her Azu-nyan next year! Azusa blushed and giggled slightly, and rubbed Yui's back reassuringly. They still had the rest of the year after all.

Tsumugi's plan had worked, as people began working at the appetizer. She was carefully observant of the situation, taking note of how she should order things in the line up. Mio, she could tell just by looking at her, was in far worse shape than Ui was. So, she made the executive decision to get her and Ui's confession out of the way first, since two people at the table already knew, and it would make Mio more confident.

Ui, at a glance, seemed fine. She was nervous, yes, but nothing she couldn't handle. It wasn't like she was going to pass out, and Mio looked like she might if she even stood up too quickly, much less telling all of her friends and an acquaintance that she loved another woman. She still had trouble telling herself that. Ui really rolled with the punches, so it wouldn't be as difficult.

Conversations continued over the table, but Mio remained as quiet as she could. She was obviously trying to get herself ready, mentally prepared for the announcement she was going to make. Tsumugi decided it was definitely going to be a good call to have her and Ui go first.

As soon as everyone had finished their appetizer, the waitress came back and took their order for the entrées. Naturally, without any other patrons in the restaurant, the orders were cooked very quickly. They still had all the chefs on staff, so it ended up only taking around five minutes for all the food to get out. Communication flowed between everyone easily, aside from Mio and Ui, but that was probably for the best. Ui couldn't find much room to talk since she didn't know a few of the girls at the table, but always had something to say when Azusa or Tsumugi pulled her into conversation.

Ritsu of course, she always had something to say even if it wasn't her turn to talk, that was just the kind of girl she was. Mio decided from watching her shout across the circular table at Azusa, Yui, Tsumugi, and Ui, that Ritsu would be doing all of the talking necessary, unless she was directly addressed, which she was sure wouldn't happen until she was asked for confirmation that what Ritsu was saying was true. She hoped that Ritsu would stay calm and cool, she wasn't sure she could stand a confession the way Yui had with Azusa.

Her entire skeleton went ablaze as she heard a fork tapping on a glass... the universal sign that something was happening. Ui felt her stomach sink as she saw Tsumugi tapping on edge of her water glass with her fork to get everyone quiet. The tapping interrupted a tantalizing debate over Microsoft and Apple stock security, something that she was sure she understood best out of anyone at the table, but not butting in. Azusa and Ritsu were fairly confident in their limited knowledge. But they quieted down almost immediately.

Tsumugi grabbed Ui's hand, and began to stand. Ui stood along side her a bit reluctantly, but managed to get to her feet all the same. Tsumugi cleared her throat and began her simple announcement. She was totally in the zone, the corporate genius inside her blood surfacing for the moment, "Thank you all for coming." She said with a smile, looking at the shaded faces of everyone present. "I brought you all here today not only for some good food, but also to tell you something." She reached out and grabbed Ui's hand, causing the younger girl to jump and blush slightly.

"Ui and I are together now. As some of you already know, it happened earlier today, just this afternoon. I decided it would be a good night to tell you all because it's easier to get everything out in the open at the start, and it's better to find out this way than through gossip at school." Tsumugi said with a smile. She looked at the faces around her. Yui and Azusa were nodding in confirmation, completely accepting the fact even though the events that had lead to it were still strange to them.

Ritsu's expression surprised her a little bit, it wasn't shocked or surprised at all. But then again, perhaps Ritsu had been told by Azusa or Yui before hand... or used slight deduction to figure it out all on her own. Mugi knew that was probably likely, considering she had told Ritsu that she and Ui had to make an announcement... and that Ui had taken her seat right next to her. It wasn't hard to piece things together.

Mio's expression was what she had really wanted to see, and it was exactly as she wanted. Through the dim lighting of the restaurant, she could see Mio's slightly shocked yet slightly relieved expression. It was exactly what she had wanted to see from the girl. She knew that by her and Ui confessing their relationship status first, Mio would realize one key fact. She and Ritsu were completely among friends and peers. Coming out as a homosexual, it was a lot easier when everyone you were confessing to was also in the same boat.

It was kind of an alcoholic's anonymous strategy, because now Mio wasn't nearly as threatened. She was among friends and friends alone. Mugi had gotten the job done just as she had planned. She looked to Ui after a second; the slightly stunned girl looked at everyone around the table, but almost looking through them. "Would you like to add anything Ui-chan?" Tsumugi asked the slightly dazed girl. Ui looked at her after a second, snapping from her trance, and shook her head. Tsumugi nodded and turned to everyone. "Thank you all for listening."

After that, she sat back down, still holding Ui's hand, and looked across at Ritsu. The brunette met her gaze, knowingly, and nodded in recognition of what she had to do. Before a single word was said, she lifted Mio's hand under the table cloth. Mio inhaled sharply as reality came back in focus for her, and she realized what she had to do as well. Sure, it was easier among friends, but this was a weak point of hers. A major weak point.

But, as Ritsu began to stand, so meagerly followed the other girl to her feet. She was as nervous as she had ever been before; even having to sing in front of the entire school was parallel to this in her mind. It wasn't just a confession to one person; it was a confession to her entire group of friends. Every friend she had in the world would know her secret after this little ordeal... but she was oddly ready.

"We have something to add if it's ok Tsumugi." Ritsu said, looking towards the girl for some sort of confirmation. It was almost as if they had rehearsed it, Ritsu knew that Tsumugi had chosen this time to come out, and the order in doing so, for a darn good reason. Just as she expected, Tsumugi nodded and looked towards her. Everyone else's attention turned towards her and a sick looking Mio as well.

"Well... it's been a rough couple of days; I'll start out by saying that. I'm sure Mio agrees with me completely on that one." Ritsu said, looking towards Mio, who gave a somber nod, "But, yesterday it finally came to an end. Things were really awkward between me and Mio for a few days there, both of us dealing with some very strange emotions that I'm sure each and everyone of you at this table are familiar with at this point. Yesterday, we finally came to our dramatic climax." By that point, Ui, Yui, and Azusa were looking towards them with bright, hopeful expressions.

Ritsu dragged it out and smiled, "Just like all of you... Me and Mio are now a little more than just friends. We both decided last night after an emotional couple of minutes together looking through a scrapbook of memories we had made together in the past that we both liked each other more than normal friends. Even best friends." She looked towards Mio and smiled. Mio looked back, unable to meet the gaze of anyone else at the table at that point in time. Her face had a fiery blush on it, and her eyes were coated with tears, but she looked almost relieved. Ritsu looked towards the rest of the table and smiled, "So just like all of you, me and Mio are now a happy couple."

Azusa and Yui looked at each other, and then at the two of them. They looked at Mio for some confirmation, which they got in the form of a small series of nods. Ui wasn't surprised, though a bit more comfortable holding Mugi's hand while listening to Ritsu's small speech. Ritsu looked at everyone, nodded, and then helped Mio back in her chair.

It was quiet for a second, before Yui grinned at everyone at the table. "Congratulations to everyone then!" She said with a bright smile on her face. Azusa looked at her and smiled a little bit, nodding in agreement. "Me and Azusa are in a couple too so..."

"Senpai." Azusa interrupted. "Everyone knows that... heck; you told the whole school that earlier with your little kiss." She continued with a blush. Yui simply giggled, pulling Azusa closer to her and hugging her tightly.

Ritsu looked at everyone and quickly added, "If you wouldn't mind though, could you please keep this as quiet as possible?" She looked towards Mio, who nodded a bit more enthusiastically than before. "I don't think we want gossip to start." She said, looking towards Yui with a pretty sharp glare. Everyone at the table had already heard about her little stunt earlier with Azusa, and Ritsu really didn't want to end up in the same situation as them. She was completely confident Mio didn't either.

"Of course." Tsumugi said finally, breaking the small period of awkward silence. "Who wants some dessert?"

The waitress quickly came back and brought a selection of cakes with her. Everyone told her what they wanted and the night continued on from there. Conversation was slow, far slower than it had been during the course of the entrée, but not because anyone was scared or confused. They simply had no idea what they would say next. Congratulations had already been given full heartedly by Yui, who seemed to speak on everyone's behalf with her comment.

Desert didn't take long for everyone to eat, a small piece of succulent cake straight out of the oven for everyone, sweeter than it had ever been when it was brought in a brought. Also sweeter now that everyone had said what they needed to say and everyone present was ok with it. Sure, everyone still had to tell their parents, but that would have to come at a later time. For now, they were all completely content with the cards that they had been dealt and the life they were prepared to lead.

They parted after dessert was finished, not having much to talk about. The restaurant shut down as it usually would. They all congratulated each other once more.

Azusa and Yui stepped off to the side, where they could have a little more privacy. Wordlessly, simply using the language of their bodies, they pulled each other into a tight hug. They kissed, and Azusa repeated what she had done before. Their tongues wrapped around each other, and the sweet after taste of cake and satisfaction filled their mouths. They parted there, going opposite ways, promising to see each other the next day.

Tsumugi and Ui walked with Yui the short distance, waving good-bye to Ritsu and Mio and heading towards the Hirasawa household. When they reached the train stop, Tsumugi hugged Ui tightly, before pulling her head back to look in the girl's soulful auburn eyes. They kissed, both having no experience, but both loving the short kiss. They exchanged phone numbers, and promised that they would both get up early the next day so they could spend all of the time before school together. They got what they wanted, and couldn't have been more perfect for each other.

Ritsu and Mio walked through the dusk air, holding hands the entire distance, knowing not many people would be out at that hour. They took the long way back to Mio's house, all the back roads, so they could hold hands and walk in perfect silence. Neither knew what to say, and neither wanted to say anything. It would have shattered perfect serenity of the evening. The moon rose right above the horizon just as they approached Mio's door. Without any hesitation, hugged and kissed each other. They held the kiss for a long time, enjoying each other, before pulling away. Mio whispered, "I love you Ritsu."

Ritsu smiled and looked into Mio's gray eyes, before whispering back. "I love you too."

Every girl settled in bed that night and for the first time in what seemed like ages; they all slept soundly, happily dreaming of their lovers, their relationships, and their futures.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

And that is that. The confessions have been made, the dice are on the table, and all of the couples are in a safe area now that every one knows.

This was going to be the end... but I felt a short Epilogue chapter following this would be more appropriate. I can't believe it's finally over, and although I seem to want to continue it... I have no where I can go with it. The couples are all together, and the epilogue gives a little insight into their futures as couples, but aside from that I can't think of anything else to add. Can you believe this 120,000+ word fanfiction only encompassed 7 days in story?

Since this is potentially the last real chapter, reviews would be the best gift you could give. Thanks to all of you who have stuck through with me the whole time.

However... I'm at an impasse. I need your help to decide what's next. I have 3 options the way I see it.

1. Post the epilogue to this fic next week, and call it good, no sequel, as the epilogue would cover it.

2. Write the sequel, but in a different fic. Maybe a different title. The downside to this is that I'd lose a few readers in the transition, which isn't what I want.

3. Simply continue this fic with chapter 26 next week, and so forth, until satisfied.

Please cast your vote in your reviews, I wanna know what you guys think. If you don't give any feedback, I'll just end it as I planned, so please do cast your votes. A sequel would be fun to write don't you think...?

Anyways, for possibly the last time, more next week!


	26. Epilogue

The next few weeks only improved. All three couples stayed true to their word, and not much changed between any of them. Ui had changed her schedule in the morning to wake up as early as she ever had, and get her sister up with her at the same time. Yui would lounge around while Ui left earlier than ever. Tsumugi altered her schedule so she could be at school every day as early as possible.

Each and every day of the week, they would meet at either the train stop or the bus stop where Tsumugi usually split off from the group, and walk to school hand in hand. All of the other couples admired their dedication, but it all boiled down to one fact. Tsumugi and Ui had no classes together, so unlike the other four girls, the only time they spent together was before school and at lunch. Neither minded it one bit.

They altered their lunch habits as well. They alternated between eating with the Keion girls, or eating with Ui's friend Jun. Tsumugi didn't mind one bit, and neither did Jun who had other friends to eat with as well. Of course, the school was hot with gossip the very second day of their relationship when they walked in to school with their fingers locked together, and kissed each other good-bye after class, but neither minded the drama swirling around them.

What Tsumugi and Ui learned quickly enough was that if they ignored the drama and the gossip around them, and didn't react to light teasing in any way at all, the girls in the school quickly got bored with it. Tsumugi was known, thanks to performing with the Keion club, but rather than blushing or getting embarrassed about rumors, she almost accepted them as bragging rights, which really didn't give the girls in the school anything to focus on.

Outside of school, they spent as much time as they possibly could together, just getting to know each other. Unlike the other couples in the group, they hadn't had any extended interaction yet, so it was enjoyable connecting as both friends and lovers. Tsumugi was thrilled, for the first time in her life she had had sleep overs. And not with an entire group, just with Ui. Sure, they stayed at the Hirasawa house, but still.

They even slept in the same bed, cuddled up as closely as they possibly could, keeping each other warm in the cooling fall nights. Neither girl realized that they didn't have to sleep in their full pajamas, but hey, they were happy with just a seven hour marathon hug, even if they were both fully clothed.

Neither of their parents found out, and Tsumugi was hoping to keep it that way for as long as she could. She figured once she started college, she could tell them. Then at least she would be out of the house and in a dormitory anyways. Ui just didn't want her family to discover, since her parents were away a lot she didn't want to stress them out. It was easy enough though.

Azusa and Yui thankfully hadn't had to change a darn thing in their world. Because Yui had already exposed their secret to the school, when Tsumugi and Ui started their relationship, the teasing died down. It wasn't mean teasing, mostly just cutesy stuff, but it continued for longer than it did for Tsumugi and Ui. Mainly because any time it was mentioned, Azusa did react in the fashion they hoped, by blushing and pretending not to hear them. But of course, high school is high school, and eventually the girls of the school got bored with the teasing. By the summer festival, everything had died down. Aside of course, from their compassion.

They ate lunch every day together as well, alternating between eating with the club and eating with Azusa's friend Jun. Because Tsumugi and Ui were doing the same thing, it often became eating with Mio and Ritsu, or eating with Tsumugi, Ui, and Jun. Sometimes, due to circumstance, they ate alone. Tsumugi and Ui did the same thing. But they were happy with it, because they always had each other.

Public displays of affection became less and less taboo, though Azusa still saved tongue kissing for private settings only. Yui didn't really mind that, she was a lot like her sister; any and all contact from Azusa was good. They really cared for each other, and at a glance, nothing had really changed between them at all. Aside from Azusa initiating more contact between them, and Yui giving more than she had prior to them being together, it was relatively the same thing.

They still got along just like they had before, with Azusa chiding Yui when her grades were down or when her guitar playing was off, or when she was too lazy to get up and do anything. It was perfect for both of them.

Yui's ideas for romance were fairly boring, but Azusa didn't mind it. Usually, they got a cup of tea or went to the park to hang out for a while. Other times they went to a movie or got dinner. It all fluctuated based on how much money Yui had in her pocket at the time the date was scheduled. Azusa didn't mind it one bit though, she was just happy to see the girl most of the time, and really appreciated her efforts.

Azusa's parents found out quickly, but were incredibly supportive of the girl. They liked Yui the first time they met her, even if she was a bit ditsy, and instantly approved of Azusa's choice in women. They were very liberal, so it was an easy thing to accept.

Mio and Ritsu had no trouble continuing on as they always had in life, enjoying the love and protection they gave to each other. They were a very quiet couple, and gossip around the two of them hanging out more and holding hands was loose at best. They wanted to remain as under the radar as possible. They ended up being casted as "Romio" and "Julietsu", appropriate in the end. Tsumugi was kind enough to keep it as hands free as possible, only having the kiss at the very end.

That kiss still made Mio nervous, because she was kissing the love of her life in front of the entire student body. A student body that consisted entirely of teenaged girls, aside from a few teachers. What's more, she still had her fan club to worry about... but on the day of the festival, they found out that Nodoka was actually the president. That gave Mio some solace and some comfort. She knew Nodoka could not only keep her secret, but diffuse any rumors circling around her and Ritsu.

They didn't have to alter their schedule either, and at lunch it was a matter of luck. They either ate with Tsumugi, Ui, Azusa, and Yui; Just Tsumugi and Ui; Just Azusa and Yui; or alone. Just like the other girls, they didn't mind the set up at all. They always had something to talk about, even if they were alone. They were still best friends after all.

As time went on, they did get more physical with each other, discovering the joys of tongue kissing which they practiced whenever they had alone time. They were still very quiet in public, usually only holding hands or putting their arms around each other's waists and shoulders when they were alone. It was a quiet operation, just how Mio liked it. Public displays of affection were minimal, which Mio found both professional and safe.

Ritsu's little brother did end up walking in on the two of them, after Ritsu forgot to lock her door when they started watching a movie. He caught them with their lips touching, and before long, word made it to both of their parents.

Ritsu's parents didn't feel strongly one way or the other. They asked the girls to keep it quiet, to which both obliged, and everything was right again. Mio's parents were supportive of Mio's choice, though they weren't too sure about Ritsu. They loved Ritsu like a second daughter of course, but they also knew she was very out going, and she was a bit of a trouble maker at times. They worried about how it might turn out grade and college wise.

But, after seeing Mio's grades stay high, they were perfectly fine with it. They began to dread the word "sleepover" a bit more, now that Mio and Ritsu were more intimate, but their worries were for nothing. Mio wanted to wait, and Ritsu was perfectly fine with that.

All of the seniors ended up applying for the "Japanese Woman's University", because not only was it prestigious, but it was also very close. That meant that Yui could still see Azusa the next year, and Tsumugi could still see Ui. If all went right, everything would turn out just fine for the lot of them. Plus, it meant that Keion could live on.

Yes, in the very end all of it came down right. Tsumugi and Ui may have become a couple last, even after helping everyone out, they weren't hurt. They only had to wait an extra couple days for it, and their work load was considerably lighter than the other two. Ritsu had worked endlessly for a whole week, and Yui had had to play the table for a whole year. The handy helpers may have finished last, but it was balanced out by their lack of tedious effort.

All of them were pleased by the results of their relationships, and were pleased with how things had turned out for all of them. The future was only looking brighter.

(*SCENE BREAK*)

Greetings to all of my readers! I've decided to do the epilogue and the notes from the author in one to save time and space.

I know the epilogue was kind of a recap of the manga... but I had to slip that in there because there were canon events... and it leaves it open.

This story was long enough to the point where I believe it actually needed a little section at the end for me to give my own personal commentary on the work. Nothing huge, I can promise that, basically just a little section.

Mostly using this as a way to say a couple of things, the first and most important of all being THANK YOU! Yeah, with the extra exclamation marks and everything on there! I can't even explain to you how much it means that you all read this story from start, or near start, to finish. For those of you who don't know, you've read about 2 novels in reading my one Fanfiction from the beginning to the end. For those of you who didn't skip chapters or come in at the end... you are truly great people and have the kind of commitment that really thrills authors such as myself to see.

I was basically a no name author when I came in and the fact that my story has soared to over 125k words and amount to over 250 welcomed, if not begged for, reviews. It was a journey writing it, posting it gradually, and seeing what you guys were going to say! It's been a whole five months since I started and it's hard to believe it's actually coming to an end!

I have to put special thanks out to those of you who read from the very first weeks when I started posting to this little note section, you guys have been a constant support to me and it's incredible to even imagine that you have that kind of dedication. I think I've thanked those who left reviews via PM, but for those who didn't leave reviews and still read form the start, thank you very much as well!

Also, even though I've thanked all of those who left reviews who would let me, I'm giving extra thanks now! Without reviews, I just see traffic, and that doesn't tell me people have read or had any opinions on what I was writing. Reviews really help to show me that people are reading what I'm writing, and want to put their opinions forward, and for that I have to give more "thank yous" than I could ever give in text. You guys really kept me writing this story, and what made it into what it is.

Let's see... three thank yous... now what? Ohh yes! There is possibly going to be a sequel, I have even started thinking of plot ideas for it that could really work. It's going to be a while before it actually gets put down on paper, because let's face it; life is going to get busy. I'm moving from comfy old home into scary college dorm rooms, getting settled into college life, and writing at the same time. But I can guarantee that I will be starting a sequel, whether it be this week or in October.

I'm thinking of two titles, either "Trouble in Paradise" to go with the title theme of famous expressions, or "Paradise Found". Depends on what plot comes to mind and what I actually commit to. It would probably be set in their final trimester, since that part of the manga is general untouched at the moment. I'm just not quite ready to leave behind this universe that I've created in the K-On! universe, however paradoxical that is.

Either way, look out for them! I want to keep as many interested people with me as possible!

Well I've said what I need to say. I hope you got everything that you wanted out of this story, and that you'll stick with me through to the sequel and any sequel after that!

You're all an inspiration to keep going and sequel or not, I hope you enjoyed. Thank you all for what you've given, whether it's reviews every single week, or just your attention. I'm proud to call this story my own.

For the last time, thank you all for reading.


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